Month: October 2012

Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis has been charged with breach of privacy for publishing a list of more than 2000 Greek citizens who held an account at the HSBC bank in Geneva, Switzerland two years ago. This is the so-called Lagarde list.

This list was originally leaked by a bank employee, and later turned over to the Greek government for use investigating possible tax fraud.  Successive governments have since tried to cover up the list, emphasizing there is no proof anyone on the list committed any crimes.  The list apparently contains the names of many prominent Greek citizens such as politicians and businessmen.

I think the question many of us have is, in a climate of austerity measures, why the Greek government is not investigating people on this list for tax evasion or other criminal activity?  I think we also need to wonder why the Greek government is so afraid to even talk about this list.

James blogs under the name of Wambururu, and writes a blog about matatus in Kenya’s capitol city Nairobi.  Matatus are privately owned minivans that provide public transportation in the city.  They are a sort of inexpensive shared taxi that run fixed routes.  They are often in an uncertain state of repair, driven by someone with no particular qualifications, not much legal oversight, and blamed for causing many accidents.

Okay, so the next question of course is what does a matatu blog have to do with plants and a gardening blog like this one?  Like a lot of bloggers, James wants to make the world around him a better place, and writes about some difficult things.

James is not afraid to criticize the habits of other matatu drivers, or the system that lets anyone who pays a bribe get a license to drive one.  He’s spoken frankly about bribes paid to the police, and protection money paid to gangs.  James also wants the world to know that not all matatu drivers are bad!  He’s recently taken on upcoming elections in Kenya, and the tribal violence that killed about 1000 people and ruined the lives of many in the previous 2007 elections.  He’s written about an acquaintance who was jailed for nearly 10 years for kissing a woman.  The real crime being he was from the wrong tribe, in the wrong place at the wrong time, and was framed for doing something he didn’t do.

James has been featured on Al Jazeera, and more recently on the BBC.  You can find links to these on his blog.  I found him via the BBC.

I think all of us who want blogs to help make the world a better place will find James’s blog interesting.  I think his blog offers a very unique insight from the perspective of a Nairobi matatu driver.  I certainly wish him lots of success for the future.