A must read article by Prof. Bitange Ndemo: "The day I left office, my phone literally ceased to ring. My “friends” had moved on. I found myself checking my phone to establish if I had inadvertently put it off. The phone was fine. Prior to my departure from office, receiving 30 calls an hour was not unusual. Although most calls were work-related, there were many social calls from many old and new friends, people you would expect to keep in touch with even when you left high office. Strangely, such calls cease until you establish a new kind of relevance. The number of e-mails I received dropped from as high as 200 a day to a paltry five, mostly from foreign friends asking what I was up to.
In essence, we have put ourselves on a self-destructive path in which one’s social relevance is determined by money and position. Greed is the product of fear precipitated by a culture that worships status. As culture puts benefits ahead of sustainable relationships, we make many of those close to us to seek material wealth that will give them sustainable relevance to people. This is where corruption starts."
Daily Nation
I meet Bitange Ndemo often at Parklands Sports Club where he spends his day playing tennis, a far cry from the high flying life he used to live.
But this is what retirement should mean,you dont expect to work till the day you die. Some do not have the luxury of playing tennis, they turn to that ka piece of land in ocha to supplement the meager pension if any
As i watched news i could not help but notice that “the sour sugar” has made the VP and Former PM throw “cheap” shots at each other…accusations and counter accusations. Like politicians play with their cards close to their chest, each of them knows “a dirty deed…or two” about the other and they just keep this information away from the public domain for “a rainy day” for relevance…to make the other “look” bad but not in the interest of the mwananchi. Politicians are taking us all for a ride.
Sasa tumsaidiaje? Mimi I hope by the time I’m 40 I’ll have made enough investments to allow me to “retire”. Just wake up everyday solely to pursue hobbies. He’s already living the dream but still whining.
I think u missed the point hapa.this piece is ment for “social climbers” people who are tight with you cz of your position or financial muscle but once all those are gone they drop you faster than a ‘chuma moto’!
Hii stori hainizaidii juu hata sina number yake. He should have just called the friends or written an email and asked them why they don’t call or email him anymore.
How was he treating ‘his friends’ when he was in that position? We will never know but maybe he was the kind of guy who couldn’t take calls from his alleged ‘friends’ whn they needed him most. Karma as they say is a biatch.