[kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs

[Alex Gakuru]

BTW, Kenya is bound by the DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN AFRICA; African Charter on
Human and Peoples' Rights Adopted in Banjul, The
Gambia, 23rd October 2002. ( Copy available )

--except--

III: Diversity

Freedom of expression imposes an obligation on the
authorities to take positive measures to promote
diversity, which include among other things:-

  * availability and promotion of a range of
information and ideas to the public;
  * pluralistic access to the media and other means of
communication, including by vulnerable or
  * marginalised groups, such as women, children and
refugees, as well as linguistic and cultural groups;
  * the promotion and protection of African voices,
including through media in local languages; and
  * the promotion of the use of local languages in
public affairs, including in the courts.

--ends--

Alex

--- wainaina.mungai at gmail.com wrote:

> We cannot and should not deny that we are different
> people. We are
> Luhya, Luo, Kikuyu and Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii,
> MijiKenda etc. That is
> the reality and it is a Good Thing. I am a Kikuyu by
> descent yet I
> enjoy some Luo tunes and some lyrics. There are
> however cultural
> differences that have been played-up in a way that
> divides us. That's
> where the problem lies; not in language.
> 
> Programming in vernacular "connects" better with
> majority of Kenyans
> in rural areas and many in urban areas. The need for
> the such identity
> can be seen in Kenyans when they are stuck in the
> Diaspora....where
> they crave for anything Kenyans (be it in Swahili,
> Sheng' or
> vernacular). So ethnic identity is not necessarily a
> bad thing. It has
> simply been abused.
> 
> So what is the way forward? All media houses in
> Kenya should be
> "tamed" in some way or other. because we have seen
> misconduct among
> our English-based FM stations and Newspapers.
> 
> - One way would have been the Media Council. We need
> to strengthen the
> Media Act and related laws to protect Kenyans.
> 
> - I would support the retention of vernacular FM
> stations because they
> can be turned into tools for enhancing an
> appreciation for our
> diversity as one nation.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Wainaina
> 
> 
> On 1/11/08, Dan Njiriri <njiris2000 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:



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