REMEMBERING A REDEFINED ANCHOR AND FORGETTING THE NEWS WAS LATE

Five minutes past the hour, the TV station was still airing commercials. At this time, major electronic media in Kenya have a news bulletin. Could this channel be breaking from tradition? 10 minutes past the hour, the station switches to news. So fine is the redefined anchor, hardly anyone notices the news was late.

Widely acclaimed locally for presenting news in Kiswahili, the anchor effortlessly executes a flawless delivery of the news in English, much to the amusement of her adoring (male) fans.

But in the lead up to the anchor's saving grace, there was probably a mini, if not a fully-fledged editorial crisis at the TV station, (insert my fertile imagination here).

There's only seconds to one o'clock and still no sign of the designated English News Presenter. The reasons could range from a serious personal emergency, technical hitches in the news studio, a gap in the duty roster, traffic, standoff in the newsroom (it can happen), and so on.

The transmission crew is directed to keep commercials running to buy some time. But when adverts start being repeated, there's need to change tact. Should the newscast be cancelled and a programme put on air? 

Hold on. There's a Kiswahili news presenter in the newsroom, (already assigned a story for both English and Kiswahili bulletins). Indeed, there's nothing wrong with the way she does her English stories.

This proves to be a master stroke by the station managers. The Kiswahili news anchor wows the audience and the social media is awash with her new found 'prowess' in the Queen's language.

Does anyone still remember the news was delayed for a whole 10 minutes? 

Moreover, it should be pleasing to the now bilingual news presenter, that viewers were saying more about her ambidextrous linguistic capabilities, as opposed to merely being platitudinous about her 'fabulous' fashion sense.

Let's show some gratitude for this kind of, 'bring it on' attitude!

REVEALED: WHY DEATHS FROM LETHAL BREWS SHOULD NOT STRIKE AGAIN

It's been a tragic period in Kenya. The local media has been awash with stories of death and anguish, attributed to the consumption of lethal brews. The press has also tried to give some analysis. But it being a familiar calamity, the media should go further in demanding corrective and even punitive action against the culprits and culpable state officials.

Unlike what is stated in the newspaper headline above, I think there's really nothing major to reveal about the, '...poison that killed 76 brew victims.'

Indeed, from the nature of the deaths and particularly the fact that many survivors had reportedly lost their sight, an almost obvious clue is evident from the very beginning. It has happened more than one time before, remember, and so there was hardly anything new to report about the cause of the deaths.

At times I think such stories reflect some symptoms of lazy journalism. Lazy because it's like the journalists have just chanced upon an event, and have the not so difficult task of working backwards, in piecing the details together and infusing comments, quotes or expert opinion.

We need a more forward looking approach. That's our best shot in preventing a re-occurrence of these killer brews tragedies. And follow-up stories need not wait for calamity to strike again.

2 years ago I did a feature #SistersofDeath that exposed #KillerDrinks and their trade.What has Govt done since? #Nacada #KEBS @ntvkenya
— janengoiri (@janengoiri) May 8, 2014

The Sisters of Death expose was a real eye opener, but sadly, it apparently then was reduced to a mere TV news edutainment, after the initial shock wore off.

However difficult, relentless attempts should have been made to rope in concerned government officials, at that time, instead of asking why action has never been taken, two years later.

Prior to the illicit liquor deaths news, a broadcast news station aired a story of some men spending all the money earned from doing menial jobs, in dingy drinking dens. No effort was made to try and establish the nature of the drinks being consumed.

In other words, the media needs to do more than just mere reportage, (and saying death seems to be the least of their concern).

We pontificate about the underlying issues that drive people to partake of unlicensed brews, as if we truly can feel their subverted inspiration or desperation.

But a greater service to the country will emanate from a sustained effort to prevent a repeat of such tragedies, by ensuring the lessons that need to be learnt, need not be relearnt again.

UPDATE
The Kenyan government has now interdicted 52 officials. The minister concerned has also announced a raft of measures, which hopefully, will prevent a repeat scenario of illicit liquor claiming the lives of Kenyans.

Not surprisingly, Kenyan media outlets have started to headline this development. The fact that it has taken 4 days for the state to issue an official response, over 80 deaths later notwithstanding, seems not to have appeared odd for the local press.