MINISTERIAL INSENSITIVITY: ESTHER MURUGI TOYING WITH IDEA OF 'ISOLATING' THE HIV INFECTED.

Kenya's Special Programmes minister Esther Murugi insists the media misrepresented her remarks about how Cuba went about locking up those who have contracted HIV. But the seeds of stigmatization have been re-planted, whether or not she appeared to have advocated for an isolation policy.

Her past instances of what some say amounts to reckless utterances notwithstanding, I'm still convinced Kenyan media did not quote Madam Murugi out of context.

She indeed went about talking about how Cuba's HIV/Aids policy entailed removing those infected with HIV from mainstream society and supposedly how this had kept infection rates at bay. Yes, it is true she said, 'I don't know whether we should be that drastic...'

But on being booed by fellow parliamentarians she was addressing, her seemingly cheeky and annoying refrain: '...but sometimes I think that is what we should do...,' is what nails her. The accompanying giggling is especially distasteful and clearly insensitive to the plight of those living with HIV.

I therefore find Madam Murugi's claims of being misquoted un-amusing and an insult to the intelligence of those who happened to have heard her or those with access to her disturbing remarks.

Unlike in the written word of the print media, where arguments of being quoted out of context can thrive, what is naturally captured audio/visually speaks for itself, unless the sequence is altered digitally.

So when Madam Murugi in the same speech continues to say that, '...Men should not have sex with men and... women I don't know about that....,' one can hardly be blamed for concluding she believes lesbianism is fine but homosexuality should not be tolerated.

Give us a break Special Programmes minister and for your so-called apology to resonate with Kenyans, especially those living with HIV, sincerity and remorse should be the key ingredients, not whether or not you were misquoted because either way, the great damage caused needs to be undone.

ALL HAIL THE EGYPTIAN UPRISING

Subduing a people's collective will, can only lead to one eventual conclusion. The triumph of the people's will, no matter the price of sacrifice that must be paid, even if this is measured in terms of human lives lost. That's why the victors in the Egyptian uprising can only be the Egyptian people.

Weary of the impact of social media, the Egyptian authorities have resorted to clamping down Internet connections. But stopping an idea, whose time has come can hardly be achieved this or any other way.

Thanks to the likes of Al Jazeera and the BBC, a minute by minute account of what is going on in Egypt is still being beamed across the world.

And political analysts are already starting to deconstruct the complex and more all less covert interests of the US and Israel governments, and their dwindling hopes of a continuation of a Mubarak-led regime.

The Arab World, some say, will never be the same again, thanks to the extra-ordinary courage of that frustrated Tunisian man, whose self-immolation set off the chain reaction that is now reverberating in neighbouring Algeria, Egypt and as far as Yemen and Jordan.

Hooray to the spirit of self-determination. Hooray to the people's will. Hooray to the dismantling of despotic regimes.

POLICE EXECUTION OR CRIME ELIMINATION?

It's a shocking case of police officers killing 3 suspected criminals in broad daylight. Not unusual in Kenya, unless you consider the execution was in full glare of members of the public. Any responsible media outlet should condemn such brazen  killings. But, don't criminals mercilessly kill the same way?

                                          One of the suspects being executed, courtesy Daily Nation

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said, 'an eye for an eye makes the whole world  blind.' But, 'an eye for a smile,' I hasten to add, 'would make the whole world smileless.'

It is understandably quite easy to condemn the killing of suspected criminals, without recourse to the due process of the law. After all, law enforcers are not above the same law they seek to enforce.

But spare a thought for those, who have had the misfortune of being terrorised by these so-called suspects. The trauma generated is almost impossible to erase, whether the 'suspects' kill their victims or spare their lives.

And when police officers are killed in the line of duty, not much protestation is elicited, at least not one bordering a national outcry.
                  


The recent case of a traffic policeman being engaged in a very physical confrontation with a 'suspected,' offender, is a case in point. It was to an extent, reduced to an 'enjoyable' spectacle, with some even siding with the person resisting arrest.

So yes. In a just society, there is no place for killing 'suspects' but the operative word is 'just.' In that ideal world, criminals would not abound in the first place and it's just unfair to always be eager to turn against the very people trying to protect lives and property.

ACCUSING THE MEDIA FOR POOR EXAM RESULTS

Many reasons have been given for the poor performance of Kiswahili, in the 2010 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education. From poorly trained teachers, mother tongue interference, to the street parlance known as Sheng, and the media. The other issues have been expounded on greatly in the media but can the same media report about its own failure to nurture Kiswahili?

The Swahili have a saying: 'Kinyozi hajinyoi,' which when loosely translated means a barber cannot shave himself. This practically could explain, why the Kenyan media has been a bit timid, when it comes to pointing an accusing finger at itself.

But at times, some good can come out of being one's own harshest critic. As a journalist, I have my own share of verbal faux paux and admitting them is not shameful. So, how does the media contribute, especially to the degradation of language skills?

It has been argued that people made famous by constantly featuring in the media, (celebrities?), more often than not end up influencing the mannerisms of their audience, because of rightfully or wrongfully being regarded in high esteem.

So what is likely to happen, if a popular comedian like Churchill uses a grammatically incorrect word like 'overspeeding,' when delivering one of his rib-crackers? There is a chance, however small, somebody somewhere will repeat the same mistake.

And as for Kiswahili, highly rated television programmes like Papa Shirandula thrive on a systematic and deliberate massacre of acceptable syntax, to reflect ethno-stereotypes that have been the lifeblood of Kenyan comedy.

It can be argued that the antics of comedians are serving a different entertainment purpose and linking them to exam performances is far-fetched.
  
But ultimately, the joke could be on that examination candidate using phrases like, 'mtoto changu,' and 'kalamu vyake!' as heard in local television or radio.

VARIETY AS THE SPICE OF EVERY NEWSROOM: THE CASE FOR FOREIGN INTERNS

As a tradition, the Nation Media Group regularly accepts nationals from various countries as interns. They bring some fresh perspectives and a new set of eyes that help interpret every day events in new ways. And yet their presence, especially on television, it appears, is not an altogether welcomed sight.

Not surprising perhaps, a foreign national reporting on local issues, cannot be expected to have a 100% grasp of the subject matter, right?

Wrong, in my considered opinion. If the intern or even an exchange programme journalist posted to a Nairobi media house has had relevant prior training, then they have a reasonable capacity to do a professional job.

In any case, such trainees are not just allowed a free hand but are guided every step of the way by experienced editors or news producers. So why should it be automatically assumed they cannot relate in a sufficient manner, with local issues they have been assigned to write or report about?

Moreover, is the colour of one's skin such a big deal that a white trainee will be viewed as having taken up an opportunity that should have been accorded a 'more' deserving local resident? I think not.

          A Local Kenyan Story, as Reported by Canadian Lisa Weighton

Unless of course the debate is taken through the narrow paths of racial profiling, historical subjugation or post-colonial hang-ups and supremacists polemics. In any case, Kenya is a multicultural society and fast becoming multi-racial to a critical extent.

And as argued by Robert Hernandez:

"If we don't reflect our communities....if we don't listen to others outside of our own individual communities, we've missed the point of journalism."

Now therein is a gem worth memorising.

MIMICKING HUMAN NATURE: WHEN MEDIA BLOWS HOT AND COLD

Isn't it amazing the way the media blows hot and cold air at the same time? In Kenya, so much had been written about poor families not being able to give their children a decent education. But now that primary education has been made free, the same press is inundated with reports of how the quality of learning in public schools has gone down. What gives, or is the media just mimicking human nature?

The introduction of the Free Primary Education in 2003 was hailed as a milestone for Kenyans, majority of whom had been barely able to put food on the table, let alone paying school fees.

President Kibaki meets Bill Clinton

Both local and international media extolled the then government for initiating what was hoped to be a major element of redressing social inequalities. As a matter of fact, when former US President Bill Clinton was asked to name one person in the world he would like to meet, he said Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki, for this very reason of introducing free primary education.

And so the success story of free primary education for a time, dominated media attention. That is, until the press started awakening to the fact that teachers were overwhelmed by the exponential growth in enrolment, already dilapidated learning institutions were bursting at the seams and the performance of public schools in national examinations was in nose-dive mode.

So 8 year's on, the pioneering class of the free primary education has just received its KCPE exam results and perhaps not surprising, private schools have almost monopolised the top positions in the order of merit.

This trend of the media blowing hot and cold, it however appears, is a global phenomenon. A recent BBC story highlighted the fact that many more Britons were likely to reach the ripe old age of 100. But somewhere in the middle, the tone of the report ceased to be celebratory.

The advance in health care, largely responsible for prolonging the life expectancy in the UK, took a backseat. The dangers of having an ageing population, and questions of who would provide for the millions of pensioners, was thrust to the fore.

So yes. Contradictions abound in the media. But that is just but a reflection of human nature. Never being satisfied is the bane of humanity.

ROAD ACCIDENTS AND THE CASE FOR ADVOCACY JOURNALISM

In Journalism, opinions should clearly be separated from facts. But what if one's opinion as a journalist, approximates a commonly held truth? This is what was going through my mind as I prepared to do a piece to camera, at the scene of a horrific night time road accident, where I strongly felt there was need for some bit of advocacy journalism.

11 lives had been lost on the spot and 21 other people injured, on account of a very disturbing reason. That the driver of an on-coming vehicle had failed to dim his lights, as he approached the hired school bus carrying 33 Kenyans, returning from bride price negotiations.

It so happened the bus driver was just crossing over a bridge. And on being temporarily blinded by the full lights of the vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, veered of the road, crashed through the bridge's safety barriers and the bus plunged into the the river below.

So in my mind, it is so clear what was the cause of this accident. And as I do my piece to camera, I wind up with the lines:

"Dim those lights. It could save lives."

Initially, this didn't sound right and I was planning not to use the sign-off because it sounded more like I was either sermonizing or getting my personal view into the story. That is until our crew visited the hospital, where some of the injured had been taken.

The sight of the injured in different stages of getting treatment, the screams of a little boy as he was being stitched, even as the father recounted to us the full lights angle, as a possible cause of the accident, convinced me otherwise.

There comes a time, when advocacy journalism, in my opinion, has a place in news reports.