There is something cheap, and dangerous, about believing in the power of the almighty title deed to solve our problems. Yet this administration thinks that issuing them is what will pacify the Kenyan people’s thirst for distributive justice.

So after the embarrassment of teargassing children at Langata Road primary school, pupils who just wanted to play, the government issues a directive to the lands ministry that all public schools should be given their title deeds, supposedly to stop encroachment on their land by “investors.”

Anyone who has been to a decent history class knows that there has never been a time when title deeds have stopped injustice. 

Muoki Mbuga has posted an excellent piece about the irony that while the political elite are funding their children's education in the arts, on political platforms they discourage wananchi from taking "unmarketable" subjects like history, languages and performing arts.

It made me remember being struck by the fact that I would go to work, where I'd be told that the arts have "no market," then when I leave work I'd see adverts and bill boards for private schools which did not show kids in labs but kids doing performance and having fun. At GEMS Cambridge school on Magadi road, there's a huge wall with pictures of students in acting costume and make-up. So why would there be no market for the arts, if parents who can afford good schools are choosing where to take their kids by the presence of the arts and sports?