By STEPHEN OMONDI OCHIENG 

Second Year BA Journalism and Mass Communication Student,  Chuka University 

The every day lives of Kenyans today has its fair share of stress, problems and tragedy yet in all this chaos, absurdly enough humour doesn't just provide entertainment, it comes as a survival tool; an anchor to reality if I may call it.

 Faced with so many stressful uncertainties such as the rising cost of living, unemployment, political tension and the pressure and responsibilities that adulthood presents in this digital age how does the average Kenyan cope? From the commonly known memes posted on statuses either on WhatsApp, Instagram or X to TikTok skits, reels and even sarcastic voice overs, a majority of the nation finds solace in this kind of humour. Despair and frustrations have been replaced by this unique type of humour. A simple doomscrolling on your TikTok or Instagram reels and suddenly someone seems less tense even able to crack a joke. 

The meme culture

Spontaneous, edgy and controversial yet the fastest form of humour embodied by witty images ,reaction images, funny captions ,edits and stickers flood social media. Joke take less time to spread than actual news in today's world .Controversial political decisions, or like the much recently witnessed floods in the Nairobi CBD later christened the SeaBD , Sink-apo instead of Singapore by citizens are turned from something negative to a strangely communal topic. Nationwide jokes and laughs are shared regardless of the situation one is in momentarily releasing the tension as an aftermath of the situation. 

Healing side of TikTok

 Kenyan creators work on perfecting the art of comedic commentary in platform such as TikTok where it's not new to come across short skits about campus lifestyles, being broke, toxic friendships and even campus expectations and reality. These videos gain traction and tend to have ten of thousands of likes sometimes even in the hundreds of thousands. Realism or satire when creating content about meals to survive on as a university student and other content bring out humour that despite it's painful appearance brings about relatability to it's intended audience. TikTokers such as Mluo, Mogambi and Crazy Kennar are the most widely known examples today, turning everyday frustrations into relatable and comedic content that shouts " that's literally my everyday life. . . " The comment section makes it feel less lonely knowing it's not just you out there.

 Tragedy's humour

Satire has become a trigger response for controversies, scandals and national tragedies. This doesn't necessarily mean we don't care but it turns deep frustrations and emotional exhaustion into humour because self pity sometimes makes coping harder. To avoid being overwhelmed by difficult realities we turn to comedy. Instead of long debates or posts, a single meme response, sticker or joke can say all our opinions on heavy or emotional topics indirectly. Collective digital community coping. 

Humour is a shared cultural experience nowadays. A joke takes off, relatability brings in thousands of Kenyans each adding their own twists to the meme or video resulting into something much larger than individual comedy but collective therapy through reposts and anticipated comment section response. This type of humour though isn't just a Gen Z thing but it has been going on for generations now with the most nostalgic one being the XYZ show's run. It isn't uncommon to see media stations apply this humour on it content, The likes of NTV' s The Trend hosted by Amina Abdi is another well known example.

 The balance between reality and humour

 It is a given that humour can't solve problems and others may argue that turning everything into a joke can distract from serious conversations about mental health, unemployment or bad governance. But for many young Kenyans, humour isn't about ignoring problems but rather surviving them. A meme cannot fix the situation but it may make a stressful day feel a little lighter. 

The Oxford dictionary names this type of situation Gallows humour referencing the act of someone joking while standing at the gallows-once used for public hangings the worst possible moment for humour. The dictionary describes this type of dark humour as humour that treats serious, frightening or painful situations in a joking or satirical manner. If anything, this should be seen that resilience isn't always serious, dramatic or straightforward. Sometimes it is masked in sarcastic tweets, TikTok skits or just a perfectly timed meme. 

Behind this laughter is a generation coping with real challenges in their own way while not allowing our joy to be taken away. In a storm of problems, the Gen Z will still find a way to laugh. You don't need to scroll too long through Kenyan social media to see this clearly.

By MUKAMI BRENDAH

Second Year Student Pursing Journalism and Mass Communication Degree,  Chuka University 

What should be a time for learning, friendship, and building the future is slowly turning into a period of fear and tragedy. Across universities, cases of students killing themselves  or being killed by their partners  in toxic relationships are on the rise, raising serious concerns among parents, lecturers, and society at large.

Most students today are entering relationships where they are not valued or respected. Instead of genuine love, some relationships are built on pressure, material gain, and unrealistic expectations. In such situations, partners tend to force issues, demand too much from each other, and react violently when things do not go their way.

One of the major contributors to this problem is social media pressure. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are filled with pictures and videos of couples displaying luxurious lifestyles and “perfect” relationships. As a result, many students feel the need to imitate what they see online, even when they are not emotionally or financially ready for relationships.

Because of this pressure, some students enter relationships based on lust, money, or status rather than genuine love and understanding. When such relationships fail to meet expectations, conflicts arise, sometimes escalating into dangerous situations that can lead to violence.

Peer pressure also plays a big role. Some students fear being left out when their friends are in relationships. Instead of waiting for the right person, they rush into relationships just to fit in with their peers. This often leads to toxic relationships where partners feel trapped and frustrated.This may led them to being in a relationship with 'wababa or mmamas', people older than them with even  50 years. This may put them at risk of contracting sexualy transimited diseases and death because when partners to those elderly people discovers it  they may kill the student so that the family my remain intact.

According to Jackson Kituu, a third-year student at Chuka University, online dating has also contributed to the increase in violent incidents among university students. Many young people now meet through dating apps and social media platforms without knowing each other personally.

“In most cases, the information shared online is not honest or transparent,” says Kituu. “When people finally meet physically, they may realize the person is not who they expected.” This disappointment sometimes leads to arguments, mistrust, and in extreme cases, violence.

In some tragic situations, conflicts arise when one partner refuses to meet the expectations of the other. For example, a man who has spent money on a woman may expect certain favors in return. When the woman refuses, anger and frustration can escalate, sometimes leading to deadly consequences.

I believe it is important for young people to understand that relationships should be built on respect, honesty, and genuine care, not pressure or material gain. Students should take time to know themselves and focus on their education and personal growth before rushing into relationships. We must also learn to walk away from toxic situations and seek help when conflicts escalate, because no relationship is worth losing a life.

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

The County Assembly of Embu has invited the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the irregular payment of KSh 3,000,000 to a company whose contract period had lapsed.

According to a Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Examination of the Report of the Auditor General on County Executive of Embu for Year ended 30th June 2025, but months later, the Embu County Government illegally paid JamboPay company for an extension of a contract for the supply, delivery, implementation, customization, and commissioning of a revenue collection and management automation system.

In a Motion moved by Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh, the Assembly has called upon the Anti-Graft Agency and DCI to take appropriate legal action on the officers involved if found culpable of breach of Section 139 (1) and (2A) of the Public Procurement and Asser Disposal Act, Cap 412 (c),

Swaleh who is also the MCA for Kirimari Ward observed that a review of records established that the contract expired on 6th April, 2023 but had not been extended. However, the management irregularly issued Local Purchase Orders. No. 66 and 76, approving the contract extension without a formal recommendation from the Tender Evaluation Committee. 

This was contrary to Section 139(1)(2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015 which sets the contractual obligations to a contractor after a procurement process is completed. In the circumstances, County Executive was found to be in breach of the law.

Further records, as per the report, show that the County Government was already in the process of acquiring a new revenue system at a contract sum of KSh 37,120,000 and an amount of KSh 8,742,644 had already been incurred towards acquiring the new revenue system.

The Deputy Speaker also faulted the County Executive’s senior officers for perennially failing to submit documents to the Office of the Auditor General and later struggling to argue their cases before the Public Accounts and Public Investment committees, warning that the Assembly would not be turned into an auditing firm.

Swaleh further revealed that no evidence was provided to the Committee to demonstrate that issues raised by the Auditor General in previous Audit Reports had been addressed or resolved citing the County Government for indifference and lack of commitment to resolve audit queries.

The Report tasked the County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Finance and Economic Planning should ensure that all prior years’ audit matters are resolved and proof of the same submitted to the County Assembly within thirty (30) days failure to which he will be held personally liable in accordance with Section 53 of the Public Audit Act, 2015.