ODM
written by kalindi , January 09, 2008

I beg sense for crucial reasons I detail below would make it ever more plausible to shift the US and Allied Forces Command Center in Iraq to the East African Nation of Kenya. Raila has an agenda he does not comprehend. Full of repercussions and out to satiate an unquenchable thirst for power. Muslim appeasement will make the Nation of Kenya lose its soul.Regionalism achieved through Political Opportunism and Buyouts will eventually lead to a Rwanda style genocide in Kenya. Re-distribution of land and properties with deal a death blow to Kenya

Revolution? Hardly! Cowardise
written by Isindu Mwangaza , January 09, 2008

You are insinuating a conspiracy of sorts by the Media Houses. The only conspiracy I see is KBC, Kibaki Mafia & ECK. KBC is perhaps the most inept institution (after ECK) in Kenya albeit their state-of-the-art equipment. Their slant is simply not just biased, it is outright repugnant.

NTV & KTN are manipulated as best fits its stakeholders and thereby eliminating fair journalism practices or any sincere intent to be fair. It's funny that each media house has its supporters. The Status-quo and its backers maintain KTN is biased and hence the swearing in charade we witnessed last week.

The media quite frankly has been a major let down especially due to the fact that they succumbed to an illegitimate government's order to shut down live broadcasts. We need another major player. Forget the People, Kenya Times, Standard especially Nation.

There's room for an independent media house to thrive and I see that sooner rather than later. I see it perhaps set up elsewhere other than Nairobi irrespective of major market implications and perhaps its bottom line for several years; nevertheless, with the intent to create a credible source and objective view that the average Kenya must have. I see it tap into the middle class, the way forward, pragmatism and credible news making and the documentary of Kenya outside Nairobi.

For now, we are subjected bile-tasting nonsense.

sensational media
written by Tim Norwood , January 10, 2008

Toni, Toni, Toni
First off, I believe you are engaged in a bit of dissembling. is this your real name? Why so ignorant, or this a feeble attempt at playing fair?
Your fight, your right. But let it not beguile you to think you may so easily get away with publishing what are clearly naked lies.

What justice do you seek? Justice for those killed in Eldoret? Those killed and dismembered in the towns of Western Kenya, or the babies in crisp clean clothes Raila was showing off to the international media. I despair of automatons such as you. Do you still believe in earnest that Raila Odinga won the election?

Now about the media. There are a number of us involved with this newspaper who have tried to get articles into the mainstream media in defence of President Kibaki and the PNU or critical of the ODM. The media have been steadfast in refusing to publish these.
Instead, the media have taken with much vigour to the publication of material of the most incendiary nature, crafted for no purpose other than to excite to a white heat the flames of the ignorant hordes with their hammers and their tsunami. We watch your shallow interviews, we watch you cower before his fist, never questioning, never asking, never seeking the public good. Kenyan media exists merely to create sensation.
On the violence
Far be it from me to claim that State House is at all innocent in any of this. The blood of all those in the Rift Valley and around the country must be shared by Raila, Kibaki and Ruto. Raila and Ruto for making an enemy of the Kikuyu to all Kenyans, and Kibaki for permitting it to go so long unchecked.
Kibaki also bears blame for doing nothing about the most irresponsible reporting in the East African Standard and on KTN. If it was me some of the people at KTN and the tribal war-mongering stations would be properly locked up. By the time of the election, that newspaper's pages were already stained with the blood of Kenyan public servants slaughtered in Nyanza on account of the fanning of flames by the East African Standard, the very paper which declared again and again that the people of Kenya were resolutely with Raila Odinga, his lead could not be distinguished, he had six provinces, how could Kibaki win with only Central and a slice of Eastern to his name. Remember the funny math, Steadman were sleeping with Kibaki, Raila had 60% of the Kenyan public's approval. The most arcane arts were employed and the people taught that Central Province granted the revenue authority a mere tenth of what that most productive Kenyan region called Nyanza did, but why those Kikuyus just kept taking and taking. All the government revenue was going into making those wily Kikuyus richer, and they held us in their oppressive chains, us poor Kenyans. The streets of Kipipiri are paved with gold, and so on. Never once did you question Raila as he goaded the idiots along to damnation.
Has a single media organisation asked how Raila and Ruto, two of the most corrupt men of the late 1990s could possibly bring change to Kenya? How many Kenyans know that Raila used all his brawn to stand in the way of change, in the way of Orengo, Ochuodho, Ombaka and even Nyong'o?
We live in a nation of ignorants, so why has the media never told Kenyans that the ODM manifesto was a lie? Would this not be in the public interest? Has the media pointed out that Kenyans should not trust Raila to clean up the courts when he has by his right hand side the filthy hands of Otieno Kajwang and Richard Kwach? Or have they become like Muthoni Wanyeki, Maina Kiai and Mwalimu Mati, only interested in human rights when the government stands accused?
The media did nothing to counter the ethnic hatred, they did nothing to help the mwananchi understand his choices, or force the parties to be more honest, or less corrupt. Instead Dennis Onyango, Dominic Odipo and all those other people of similar origin at the Standard spun the most evil lies, and persuaded the people of Kenya into a dark corner. Now finally the chicken are come home.

...
written by Beve , January 10, 2008

Really? And you know this because you have access to a parallel universe where Raila really did become president and all of this occurred?

Talk about doomsday scenario!

re: sensational media
written by Isindu Mwangaza , January 10, 2008

Toni, Toni, Toni
Kenyan media exists merely to create sensation.

If it bleeds, it leads! Thats the mentality.

Tim:
The genesis of all this is squarely in the lap of Kibaki and his lieutenants. You cannot artfully maneuver the majority without repercussions.

While in Eldoret, he did his usual jig and flew out. Body's still lay where they fell in some farmlands, it is, my friend a tragic state of affairs brought about by greed, Kibaki's greed.

Mwangaza
written by JV Ogot , January 10, 2008

Please stop shining darkness here. Kibaki's blame for the Eldoret violence lies in his permitting the ODM to go about the country stoking up fears and hatred against the Kikuyu.
Not just adui, Majimbo or rent, but also the allegation that Kibaki was preparing the way for Uhuru and that the GEMA would rule Kenya for ever. Remember?

Now, Mwangaza. Kibaki won the elections. That is why no one is asking him to step down but Raila. Have you heard a single call from anywhere for Kibaki to step down? Not even his American or British foes are asking that of him. What they do recognise is a need to be more inclusive in his government, this not just to forestall similar outbreaks in the future, but also to mitigate against the sense of loss among the communities that voted ODM.
I tell you I have it on good authority that Kibaki did actually win the election.

Even had Kibaki rigged the election, there is no excuse whatsoever for the violence and destruction. I see you are mocking Kibaki for flying off so soon, has your MP been there yet?

...
written by a guest , January 10, 2008

Kibaki thought his rigging would be welcomed with bouquets of rose petals? Ask Dick Cheney and G.Dumbya Bush-. It is called blowback.

the genesis of post GE violenc
written by magothe , January 10, 2008

the media in kenya is ofcourse not manipulated by GoK. As Tim notes, Standard group has never even tried to hide its ODM bias. just look at its articles on on-going Kuffour talks.
what is absolutely true is that the violence esp in eld has its genesis the dropping of the 2002 MOU, subsequent LDP vs NARC wars, and started properly during the referendum with RO's adui comment. some of the lies e.g. UK's succession were aimed at the most brainless because the whole pt of a General election is that you get to vote whoever you want.

...
written by aeichener , January 10, 2008

Folks:

Tim may have sounded probably a bit harsh on Kenyan print media; its weakness are the editors, as I often have repeated, not the journalists (whose talent is under-used, and who are not properly challenged and driven). Also, the degree of corruption in the Kenyan media themselves - who by right should be the watchdogs and accusers of societal corruption - is truly astounding. But little does this wonder, if even GJLOS resorts to bribing journalists instead of convincing them. :-(

It is my understanding that one of the reasons for KI's founding was exactly this dissatisfaction with the media; and indeed numerous articles have since been published here, of which every newspaper could justly be proud, and which stand storey high, nay tower high about the crap of such "famous" writers as, say, Lucy Oriang' and Mildred Ngesa.

And a piece like Ogot's recent Kalonzo article will probably not find its equal in any of the our main papers (Jaindi Kisero might print it in the East African, but only if he is paid before).

Alexander

sensation?
written by missmumbi , January 10, 2008

Tim,

I do not wholly agree that Kenyan media is merely sensational. As you know, media can never be truly unbiased because it is owned, run, and sustained by people with inherent biases.

Therefore they do have bias in their coverage, but at the same time they are reporting the truth as they see it. As they see it; truth is relative, therefore to you it may seem like they are being sensational, but maybe thats merely how they perceive the situation to be.

We do have examples of reporters who go out of their way to present the truth at various stations.

However most of the best, ethical storytellers in Kenyan media end up making documentaries for NGOs, which is a sad reality - Pete Murimi being a good example of such a journalist.

re: corruption!
written by aeichener , January 10, 2008

Tim,
Therefore they do have bias in their coverage, but at the same time they are reporting the truth as they see it. As they see it; truth is relative, therefore to you it may seem like they are being sensational, but maybe thats merely how they perceive the situation to be.

That is not correct, Missmumbi. They tell the truth as they are being paid to, and you know it. :-(

Alexander

ODM (continued)
written by kalindi , January 10, 2008

Continued from a post above on raila..

3. Re-distribution of land and properties with deal a death blow to Kenya

re: Mwangaza
written by Murage , January 11, 2008

Edited for hate speech, and superfluous quotion taken away. Ed.

Dude LSK asked Kibaki to step down, British PM Gordon Brown suggested another election, several other people have said stuff along the same lines.
(...)
Kibaki lost to Raila and there will not be real peace in Kenya as long as he's president. He lacks legitimacy and credibility. Kibaki is to blame to the chaos in Kenya and the sad thing is he's not gonna do anything to make things better. We have a nut job in State House.

And the adui lie is old. Raila never said it, it was all taken out of context.

Kenyans are tired of false promises and dashed hopes (...)

You have to understand there are some people in Kenya who'd rather be dead than live under Kibaki's dictatorship. Freedom is not free.

re: re: Mwangaza
written by aeichener , January 11, 2008

You have to understand there are some people in Kenya who'd rather be dead than live under Kibaki's dictatorship. Freedom is not free.

I have no problem with patriots and martyrs, but a big problem with people who would rather see other innocent people dead
- rather than continuing to live under a weak president Kibaki, who was continuously so harshly criticized exactly for not being a dictator, and for his perceived "hands-off" policy.

Alexander

re:
written by aeichener , January 11, 2008

Nobody who has been following the eelections expected anything from the negotiation. Kibaki was not going to listen to anyone.

Neither did Raila.

If he was interested in listening, he would have got the resounding 'NO' Kenyans gave him in the elections last year.

Just for correctness' sake, the "resounding no" of the 2005 referendum to which you allude, was not a "no" to Kibaki (though his power cabal may have perceived it as such), but a "no" to an inacceptably flawed constitution proposal, the Wako draft.

Neither was this NO "resounding"; rather, it was a discordant polyphony, made up of many very different and often mutually contradictory little no's.

Kibaki accepted the will of the people insofar, but however failed to then propose a proper constitution according to the Bomas draft, which would have been his duty towards his sovereign.

He has just managed to force us back to the streets for protest

"Us"? Most Kenyans only want to get back to normal life, and away from the pre-election and post-election madness. Civil society at large is frustrated, but the plan of a few power mongers to conquer the political plain via mass action has failed.

He must never be allowed to take us back to the dark ages at any cost

That is the reason why many people voted against ODM, indeed.
ODM stood for a return to the Egyptian slavery that the people of Kenya had solemnly refused in 2002.

Alexander

...
written by Nick , January 11, 2008

Nobody who has been following the eelections expected anything from the negotiation. Kibaki was not going to listen to anyone. If he was interested in listening, he would have got the resounding 'NO' Kenyans gave him in the elections last year.
He has just managed to force us back to the streets for protest and as much as we love peace, we also believe in democracy, we believe that elections are done in the polling stations and not at the ECK offices at KICC.
He must never be allowed to take us back to the dark ages at any cost, and we Kenyans are ready to pay whatever the price it will cost us top get back our president. Woe unto you Kibaki because you only have two options, which are either unleashing the forces to kill all the Kenyans who will come out to demonstrate against your theft, or going back to the only people who think you are a good leader, Othays.