Android over windows OS? well..Your choice

 so last month I happened to get caught up in the tag of war currently brewing between the major mobile OS developers in the technological world. Instead of getting into the boring trifles of my predicament by beating around the bush, heres what actually happened.

I happened to meet my 'murio' in town for our usual Friday chitty chat over a glass of my favorite drink. As usual the 'kalocal' was filled with some intoxicated fellas eager to take advantage of the long weekend well associated with the marking of Kenya's 51^st Madaraka celebrations which well colluded with their paydays! Drinks were free flowing from all quarters and in no time, you could easily note the enduring excitement that got incremental with every visit from the barmaids. Some teens even got up to their feet to shake a leg with their skimpily dressed hotties to the bumping beats of Konshen's hit 'bumper' as the dj carried them away. Anyway I don't know how fast it happened but in no time, I was equally intoxicated if my change of tone and excitement was anything to go by. I really cant tell how I got home, but luckily I found myself in bed the next morning; unhurt! However, to my complete dismay, my phone was nowhere to be seen. After entirely and exhaustively ransacking the whole house, I ended up admitting to having lost my phone under some unclear circumstances.

To say the least, am sure this is a common phenomenon most Kenyan men face during their nights our or rather during their friday drinking binges only to find themselves without their valuable gadgets the following morning. Back to my story, I urgently faced with the dire need to make some phone calls with the sole question “kwani jana kuliendaje?” I needed to purchase a new handset-ASAP.

To save myself the trouble of the obvious bargain 'kelele' associated with most street phone vendors of Nairobi, I headed straight to Safaricom shop as thats where I was sure to get the best deal deal in terms of cost and quality. Well, at least thats what comforted me. My visit there turned to be my biggest nightmare as it soon occurred to me I even had not decided on the type of handset I really wanted. I was simply spoilt of choice as I stood along the displays wondering what I really wanted. To get this straight, am not an impulse buyer so its not like I expected to just walk into the shop, pick the nearest handset, pay for it and then walk out a happy fella. thats not something unheard of either, as some years back, one could easily walk to the phone vendors of Nairobi, purchase the currently trending touchscreen ( remember the introduction Google idios smart phones?) and walk out a very contented customer.

For my case, the choice had to be made between the numerous android based handsets and those using the windows OS. I simply had no idea of the existing differences between all these terminologies so I guess you understand my predicament. To cut my story short, I ended up purchasing the galaxy franchise; not because it was the best alternative at the time...but because I felt thats what I needed!   

Want to know how I ended up making this distinct decision in a spur of a minute to come up with the final decision? Read the part 2 of my amazing tragedy where I will bring to light the different mobile operating systems currently engaged in a war of superiority to capture the ever changing Kenyan market, in layman's terms!

LOOSING THE FIGHT? CONDOM USE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Sub Saharan Africa  is the region with the world's highest rates of HIV infections and other sexually transmitted infections also known as STIs. However, the irony of it all is that condom use among people here is rare according to numerous scholarly research based in the area. Governments spend millions of dollars every year in the fight against the disease. However, decades later after discovery of the first case of the infection there hasn’t been success in containing the overall spread. HIV/AIDS still remains a major cause of death among the population.
The big question right now among the numerous governments and organizations is, are we losing the war against HIV/AIDS? Are the mitigation measures in place effective in combating the scourge?
In a report  published by UNaids in September last year, the organization expressed concerns over the few  usage of condoms by people in several African countries, notably those in the sub-Saharan region, yet there's evidence of rise in number of people having multiple sex partners.
The report, clearly states that while there is substantial indicators of good progress made on meeting the 2015 target in terms of halving transmission of the virus, ending of child infections and ensuring availability of medicine, not much has been achieved towards reducing infections among drug users.
It also noted a 34% decrease in the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa, recorded between the year 2001 and 2012, but was disappointed with the region still accounting for 70%  of the estimated 2.3 million new infections globally. This makes many pose the question over condom use. what influences people to use condoms as a preventive measure?
It's hard to pinpoint the overall factors that influence the use of both the female and the male condoms in the population. However, it's evident that condom use in sub-Saharan Africa  involves some complex social and interpersonal dynamics, coupled with structural and cultural conditions exerting some influence through framing social cognitions and setting boundaries on autonomy that make the apparently irrational choice of eschewing condoms a rational decision.
Factors of consideration include the influences of poverty, relationship with parents, peers and also those with partners. Its seemingly sad that at that this age and time, there are people who still can't afford the price of a condom pack! In Kenya, Isiolo district made headlines  some months ago over residents resulting to recycling of condoms by hanging them outside to dry!
Surprised? well, don't be. That's not all. Other generally accepted factors include: limited, insufficient or even total absence of information especially among the rural people and among homosexuals, gender norms set out by the society, beliefs and attitudes about HIV and the dynamics of gendered power (the women empowerment thing).
The influence of all these factors have coincidentally been proven to work against condom use among a very large proportion of the population.  This has further been worsened by the position of the church, especially the catholic church concerning the issue of condom use in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS. The catholic church is inevitably the largest private provider of healthcare to HIV patients in the world. in the year 2010, the then head of the church, pope Benedict characterized  and described the use of condom as being "unreal" and "it not being a moral solution" to the spread of HIV/AIDS, but potentially "a first step" in the direction of moralization and responsibility when used with the" intention of reducing the risk of infection".
This controversial position of the catholic church has greatly brought out issues over its collaboration with other aid organizations including USAID in the provision of AIDS care and education. However, on the positive side, research results this year are showing  a positive trend in condom use among single women in several African countries; and increase in acceptance and usage of condoms among university students  and resistance to succumbing to the dominant gender-power dynamics. Right now, student hostels have condom dispensers permanently installed  to boost usage among peers.
The war isn't over yet brother, brace on!