I remember watching the X-files when it was the show to watch. The agents would enter a dark warehouse or factory. They would whip out their flashlights and find their way through an abandoned building, tearing down huge cobwebs, wiping away dust, and peering under covers in search of a deformed skeleton or alien foetus.

That’s one of the last unpleasant tasks of a bank hangman which is what I was doing today – minus the gun, courage, cute co-worker, and aliens of course.

Today we did the same thing, starting with opening many padlocks at the entrance, covering our noses with handkerchiefs, removing any light-colored clothes and stuffing our socks into our trousers before we entered this warehouse. My handy Nokia phone comes with a torch which proved to be useful as the place is dark inside even at noon.

We have heard gallant tales and applaud the efforts to revive companies like Kenya Meat Commission. But this is how the revival all starts – with bank workers breaking down locks they had put up years before as we take yet another round of prospective buyers to visit/inspect the abandoned property before they submit any bids.

The skeleton these agents are looking for is not hidden. Even as we move through the dusty place with torches and noses covered to keep out the dust we are looking at the skeleton of someone’s dreams – the building which they put up, the new machines they imported from South Africa & India (state of the art then, outdated scrap today), the manager’s suite they decorated, faded door signs around the well laid out premises marking rooms like productions, manager, bathroom, sales office where people would busily work towards realizing the full potential of the owner’s dream.

Today it’s just a skeleton. But if the buyer likes the skeleton enough to put some money down, someone else’s dream & vision will rise again over the skeleton of someone else’s.

Mlolongo: As we drove past mlolongo yesterday there was a bulldozer knocking down a controversial petrol station built on the road reserve. Further down the road, other buildings marked for demolition were beehives of activity with workmen doing more demolition work. The owners of these buildings have heeded the government’s directive and are removing their buildings at their own cost, and with a chance to salvage their stones and material.

But many are not abandoning their dream projects; – they are instead only shaving off about 10 ft of each building that they deem to have encroached on the road reserve, and hoping the rest of the structures will stand on their own. I hope they will be proved right in their assessment because when the bulldozers are done, there won’t be any ex-files for the bank to revive.

December 1 opportunities

Telkom dealership: resellers for Telkom’s 3G wireless service (fax, voice, internet) in Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Nakuru, Meru, Muranga, Kakamega, Voi, Kisii, Kericho, Thika, Embu, Malindi, Nanyuki, Garissa and Machakos. D/L is 5/12.

Water distributors for Ha Ha drinking water, nationwide.

housing: Satellite City – a low-cost housing estate compositing 265 units will be built in Mlolongo, Athi River

Jobs

• Various jobs at abbott site
• Chief executive (& secretary to the board) of the Association of Micro Finance Institutions (AMFI). Apply to info.amfikenya@africaonline.co.ke by 8/12
• Legal officer at Del Monte. Apply to nanasi@delmonte.co.ke 13/12
• Public affairs officer at the Canadian high commission. Apply to nairobi-competions-concours@international.gc.ca by 8/12
• energy company involved in hydropower and geothermal development: petroleum geologist petroleum drilling engineer, exploration geophysicist, financial analyst, financial auditor. Apply thru PWC at ess.ke@ke.pwc.com by 15/12
• I&M Bank: apply online for cashier & teller positions.
• Brand & communications manager at java. Apply to hr@nairobijavahouse.com by 13/12
• Kenya Wine Agencies Ltd: trade marketing representatives, information & communications technology manager. D/L is 13/12
• Ministry of State for Youth Affairs -Section officer II (500 posts), Technical instructors (61 posts). Apply to the PS P O Box 34303 Nairobi by 8/12
• Postbank: senior manager marketing & business development, database administrator, legal officer, internal auditor, inspectorate officer. D/L is 18/12
• Safaricom: retail centre manager (Nairobi), retail centre agent (Nakuru, Eldoret, Mombasa, and Kisumu). Apply to hr@safaricom.co.ke by 8/12
• Senior economist at the World Bank – Sudan. D/L is 11/12