Consumers have been hit hard after the retail prices of super petrol rose to a historical high, as the government dropped subsidies that had suppressed the local pump prices (Standard, September 15, p.7). “Historical” means relating to history or past events. “Historic” means notable or significant in history. So, “a historic high”.
PS Kibicho rules out joining 2022 Kirinyaga race (Star headline, September 13, p.21). Two pages later: Muturi rules out joining UDA, vows to announce 2022 party. Reads like poetry.
At their Kapsoiya Estate home in Eldoret, she narrated how she had suffered consistent leg pains since 2002 when she was a Standard Five (Standard, September 13, p.3). You can’t be “a Standard Five”, oya.
For the implementation of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to succeed, all Kenyans must be obligated to contribute to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the health insurer’s top management has said (People Daily, September 13, p.2). Wordy. Try: For Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to succeed, Kenyans must contribute to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the health insurer has said. Same point, 10 words less.
To attain UHC’s goal of ensuring every citizen has access to quality healthcare services they need without getting into financial difficulties, employers should also be compelled to match their workers’ contributions to NHIF. Neater: To attain UHC’s goal of ensuring every citizen has access to quality healthcare, employers should also be compelled to match their workers’ contributions to NHIF. Same point, eight words less.
Opposition chiefs Raila Odinga (ODM), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya) and Charity Ngilu (Narc) were yesterday stunned after the head of the Anglican Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit denied them an opportunity to speak at a church function in Kakamega (People Daily, September 13, p.4). So, it was “the head of the Anglican Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit” that issued the order while the rest of his body was elsewhere, possibly at home?
The judge had ordered that Jowie should report to the village chief where his parents reside once every month and the chief to make monthly reports to the court’s deputy registrar (Standard, September 14, p.3). Who is a “village chief”? A chief heads a location and assistant chief a sublocation, the lowest national government administrative unit in Kenya. Civics crash course needed here.
Over time immemorial, community herbalists have provided remedies for various ailments using herbs extracted from indigenous trees (Standard, September 15, p.24). Two errors: a) It’s “since time immemorial”, not “over time immemorial”. And b) herbs cannot be “extracted from indigenous trees”. Herbs are plants, boss.
