MADGE: It’s high time we put up Rehab centres for betting craze…

At least 30 percent of Kenyans betting./COURTESY

Not so long ago, I was listening to the super duo on 95.5 Baraka FM at around 3:00 pm and what caught my attention is a lady who called complaining about her husband’s obsession to sports betting.

The lady lamented that the husband had used up their child’s school fees for betting and what hurt me the most! Is that the poor lady had actually taken a loan for the fees! Can you imagine her first reaction to the news of her husband squandering every single penny on betting?!

A fact is that, sports fanatics will never accept that betting is as dangerous and addictive as narcotic abuse.

At first the guys go like, “It does not take much of my time nor money, just 50 bob!” This they say very convincingly you feel so guilty trying to tell them how fast the betting routine would grow into a habit; so you just hope they know what they’re doing and let them be.

Interestingly, you will find that many of those who are addicted were not sports fanatics till betting companies came up.

Many have no idea what happens during a match so they follow the playing teams’ past statistics, in order to estimate who’s likely to win and who they should put their money on.

Back to our lady, now I know most of you will argue that this lady wouldn’t be complaining if the guy made quick cash from the vice; Which is true by the way, but hey, betting really?

It’s just sad how it’s become people’s way of making quick money and the worst part is, it’s a problem slowly eating into our society; an issue that everyone thinks is under control but no one really wants to accept that its addictive and can lead to depression.

Gone are the days when men used the least money they had left, not for food but for cheap liquor;nowadays they use the little they have left for betting in a bid to get more than they had, only to be disappointed by loosing it all.

Since they take in the loss with a lot of heaviness, that’s when they humble themselves and take to their friends a very sad story that will earn them a few coins for betting; promising them heaven in return. Well, we all know how the story ends.

Here’s the thing, betting has overtaken quick cash generating methods. This is how a young and slightly older Kenyan gets the little upkeep money.

Now am not here to preach but is this really the right way? If this isn’t the highest level of laziness! Then I don’t know what this is.

Am talking to you gamblers! One thing which is obvious just like any other business, betting exists to make profit for the betting firms.

The company has to make profits before they can redistribute its income to the winners. Just like Casinos, where the first rule is the house must always win; same applies to sports betting companies.

If you are not going to learn to do it in moderation (which is next to impossible) personally, I’d put up a rehabilitation centre for y’all guys and close all those betting sites, but since i’m just a tiny speck in a cloud of dust, I will stick to my opinion on it.

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Kiambu Governor William Kabogo. PHOTO: COURTESY.

Nairobi, KENYA: A new Infotrak poll released on Friday shows that the stiffly contested Kiambu gubernatorial seat may be clinched by incumbent William Kabogo if elections were to be held today.

According to Infotrak, Mr. Kabogo has a majority following of 48.9 per cent closely followed by arch rival Ferdinand Waititu standing in at 31.8 per cent.

Mary Njoki Mburu from Infotrak again cautioned that the figures might change after party primaries are held.

“James Nyoro’s popularity stands at 4.5 per cent, David Ngare, John Mugwe and Aquiline Njoki each stood at 0.1 per cent. 14, 6 per cent were undecided,” said Walter Nyakundi from Infotrak during the release of the opinion poll results.

For the senatorial contest incumbent Kimani Wamatangi had a larger following of 48.8 per cent, followed by Karung’o wa Thang’wa 7.4 per cent, George Nyanja 2.8 per cent, Stephen Ndichu 0.9 per cent ,Juliet Kimemia 0.1 per cent while the undecided stood at 40 per cent.

Most likely to clinch the Women Representative Contest in Kiambu is Gathoni wa Muchomba.

“Incumbent Anna Nyokabi came second with 15.5 per cent, Gladys Chania 0.9 per cent, June Koinange 0.6 per cent, Jane Kamunge 0.3 per cent while the undecided hit the 41 per cent mark,” Mr. Nyakundi said.

According to the polls there was a 48.5 per cent chance that an MP would be re-elected, 32.2 per cent did not feel the need to re-elect the incumbents while 16.9 per cent were undecided.

“2.4 per cent refused to answer,” Ms. Mburu continued.

The most popular MP in Kiambu county during the polls turned out to be Kikuyu Constituency’s sitting Member of Parliament Kimani Icungwa while the least popular was Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu .

“Waititu’s dwindling popularity could be because he is a front runner in the Kiambu gubernatorial seat,” Ms. Mburu said.

The most popular coalition in Kiambu remains to be Jubilee at 86.2 per cent followed by NASA at 3.9 per cent.

A sample of 1200 respondents were interviewed to represent the projected 2017 Kiambu population of 1.2 million.

Data was collected from the 3rd -5th of April 2017.

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