No. 8, December 14, 2009

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What happened to the journalist in Mutua?

According to Rev. Dr. David Githii, the former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), certain symbols in Kenya’s parliament provide irrefutable proof that the devil spends at least part of his/her/its time there. But it seems that from that House, the devil spreads its tentacles to the entire government machine. Or how else do you explain the fact that nearly always something unholy happens to perfectly competent and conscientious Kenyans when they join government service?

Take Government Spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua, a reputable journalist and academic of some standing. Now he can hardly put together a convincing press release. Last week he was refuting international claims that the government was hiding Rwandan genocide mastermind Felicien Kabuga.

“Since the Rwanda genocide, the international community has been searching for the wanted fugitive, Felicien Kabuga, so as to bring him to trial”, Mutua started. “The Government wishes to reveal that we have had an arrangement between the Kenyan Police and the UN investigators searching for Kabuga in our country. We do believe that at a certain time in the early 1990s, Kabuga passed through Kenya.”

Come on, Alfred! The government has been helping the international pursuit of Kabuga merely because he had passed through the country “at a certain time in the early 1990s”? When was that? Why the vagueness? Is this really all that Mutua knows?

And then this one: “The Government wishes to make it very clear that we do not have any interest whatsoever in Felicien Kabuga. We have excellent relations with Rwanda and the United Nations and the only interest we have is to have Kabuga arrested.” Is this wobbly writing what Mutua is truly capable of or was he trying to conceal something in a pile of words?

The spokesman paused and leaned back in his chair, his biro poised over the foolscap. Absently, he scratched the itching tip of his nose with the biro and then looked straight ahead in search of the next sentence. His intent eyes concentrated up on the wall, slightly below the ceiling.

“Mmh!” he nodded and proceeded to scribble furiously. “Those claiming that we are hiding Kabuga should tell us where he is and also tell the world where Kabuga is. The Government of Kenya is NOT aware of the whereabouts of Felicien Kabuga. He could be anywhere in the world including Kenya or our neighbouring countries.”

Mutua drilled a major full stop at the end of the sentence. He exhaled heavily, put the pen down and leaned back again, resting his head on the interlocked fingers of his hands. He was satisfied: “Alfred N. Mutua, PhD, EBS, Government Spokesman of the Republic of Kenya.” His lips curled up in a tiny smile.

Rev. David Githii, how do we exorcise government of satanic possession?

Region’s worst dressers style up

Sometimes a story about Kenya in foreign media leaves you wondering whether the country described is the one you know. Last week, BBC reporter Kevin Mwachiro published a report on the Beeb’s website titled, ‘Kenyans start to embrace daring fashion.’ He reported that “within East Africa, Kenyans are renowned for being the worst dressed.” Mhh? Who arrived at this conclusion and how?

Anyway, what is our Sunday best, Kevin? “Jeans, T-shirts and suits - one size too big - make up many a wardrobe, with a colour pallet of grey and brown.”

But now things are changing, the Beeb’s man discovered. “More and more Kenyans are embracing local fashion labels. Designers who have worked, showcased or studied abroad are injecting a badly needed new lease of life to the industry.” Note that the designers are local, but their inspiration (like all great things, Kevin) is from “abroad.”

So which are these local labels that are “injecting a badly needed new lease of life” to our drab wardrobes? ki2, Sura Zuri, Moo Cow, Kooroo, Rialto, Kiko Romeo, Monica Kanari and Spice. These, sure, are quickly becoming household names in Kenya. And the owners / designers are Kenyan.
It is this kind of reporting that makes one, like Alfred N. Mutua, PhD, EBS, want to climb to the top of Mount Kenya alone dressed in red shukas, tyre sandals and wielding a club to proclaim to the whole world: ‘I’m proud to be Kenyan!’

Minister spills KBC beans

Last week, very important visitors led by President Mwai Kibaki gathered at the grounds of Broadcasting House, the headquarters of KBC, to witness a historic occasion: the launch of the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting. The International Telecommunications Union requires that all nations in the world migrate to digital broadcasting by 2015. Kenya will beat that deadline in three years, switching off analogue broadcast equipment in June 2012.

“The number one broadcaster” took the opportunity of the digital TV launch to lay on an impressive show, complete with live transmission of the proceedings. Give the devil his due: KBC knows its stuff when it comes to covering the government (or more precisely the President and those close to him). Everything went well until it was the turn of the Assistant Minister for Information and Communications, George Khaniri, to say a few words.
They were few words indeed, but of the kind that must have made the KBC top brass fidget in their seats. Khaniri used the opportunity to beg for more state funding for KBC. He told the gathering, Kenyans and the world about the sorry state of the national broadcaster, including a mind-blowing debt of Ksh.20 billion. KBC, he said, was for all intents and purposes broke. Its obsolete equipment, he went on, gobbles up Sh.20 million a month in electricity bills.

You have put up this big show to impress the President and other VIPs and then a guest pulls out all your dirty linen for the world to see! You want someone who does you some good PR; trumpets the successes and, instead of going into those sordid details, says things like KBC, in line with its strategic plan, is boldly handling the challenges of public broadcasting in the era of liberalized airwaves. But the trouble with politicians is that they speak too much, or is it not so Mr. David Waweru, MD?

Time to tame rogue radios?

The number of radio stations continues to grow as new technology frees up more frequencies and so it was not surprising when President Kibaki said his government already has more than 150 license applications for FM radio pending. “Currently this demand cannot be met. With the migration to digital broadcasting, it will now be possible to award new licenses, increasing choice and giving more room to a broader democratic space,” the President said.
It is something to celebrate. But there is also very serious concern, which was expressed in stark terms by the Daily Nation in an editorial on Thursday.

Some stations are behaving badly and others could follow suit. “Frankly, it has become acutely embarrassing for parents to sit in the same room with their children as some FM radio station presenters endlessly carry on uttering highly titillating stuff without even trying to cover it up with innuendo.”
“Most talk shows, especially in the mornings, have become highly nauseating if not downright immoral. Even those who are not prudish find matters of the bedroom irritating in some settings like matatus where the young have no choice but to sit next to their grandmothers. This laissez faire attitude towards morality has to be controlled.”

We all know the culprits, or don’t we? But who is going to do the controlling without curtailing freedom of speech and of the press? There is something called self-regulation. Does it work? Are the Media Council, Media Owners Association and other stakeholders going to do anything pro-active or are they still – as usual – waiting to be pushed then protest? No bets here.