[kictanet] Election fiasco reveals Technological dinosaurs

[Alex Gakuru]

Al Kags:
I'm Just an Information Society netizen contributing to knowledge
sharing, but thanks.

Wainaina:

Thanks for this analysis and we should strive on your proposed paths.
(But remember that in chang'aa havens, partaking has never been tribal:)

I Just came across sober blog "Tribalism in Kenya" which says
'atavistic tribalism' is not our real problem.
----
"people from different tribes live side by side and often work in the
same office. They are aware of ethnic differences and sometimes joke
about them, but it usually does not go further than that."

"Kenya is a polyglot nation of more than thirty different ethnicities,
none of which are a demographic majority. Tribal violence is an effect
of the crisis provoked by the rigged election, not its cause."

"We can be certain that the violence will simply worsen the poverty
that is itself the root cause of all Kenyan crises. Already we are
seeing layoffs and a potential collapse of the tourism and
agricultural industries. On the political front, perhaps the best we
can hope is that Big Men will reach a deal and the tribes will put
away their machetes and rifles. Then the Western press will trickle
home, content that democracy has been re-established, while the people
of Laikipia return to their daily struggle to survive."

"Kenya's leaders' inability to hold the common good above their own
thirst for power is infuriating."

<http://africamatters.blogspot.com/2008/01/tribalism-in-kenya.html>
---
The purpose of raising it is that we indulge at solving at the "macro" level.
This dimension has been open in the media and I understand our silence.

Observing the list rules, shall only respond non-politically aligned
reactions.

Alex

On Jan 12, 2008 1:05 PM,  <wainaina.mungai at gmail.com> wrote:
> The contributions seem to raising the following issues: My two cents
> marked as @@:
>
>
> 1. LOCAL LANGUAGE vs. LITERACY & DEVELOPMENT
> KAGWE: I don't think they add so much value, in any case we have a
> fairly literal community in Kenya and I'm almost sure there are very
> few in Kenya who cannot understand Kiswahili and English
> YAWE: With a literacy level of 60% why are we cowering into our tribal
> cocoons instead of becoming more cohesive?
>
> @@ I do not believe that the Literacy should be defined in English and
> Swahili (both languages not "ours"). Our languages are rich in content
> and can be significant in teaching Kenyans how to live together. The
> problem in Kenya's ethnic divisions is not a "language barrier" issue.
> We seem to agree that it's a result of manipulation by politicians and
> played up through irresponsible media houses.
>
>
> 2. MULTI-LINGUAL vs. BANNING VERNACULAR
> ALKAGS: How about a vision where we all speak all the languages? The
> implication of this therefore being that we encourage our kids to be
> multi-lingual people and i'm not talking about speaking french!
>
> @@ Nice idea AlKags! I think that is one way forward that may be made
> more effective through inter-marriage. We need a deliberate effort
> (projects) that encourage respect for diverisity. For instance, why
> not have "exchange programs" between Kikuyu villagers and a Luo
> villagers? Take a group from remote parts of Bondo to live in
> Githunguri for two weeks and some Githunguri villagers to live in
> Bondo. The villagers will be expected to share openly with the
> villagers and explain their culture and vice-versa. We could promote
> understanding one villager at a time. ;-) As for the learned and
> exposed Kenyans who still encourage the use of stereotypes, someone
> else could suggest a remedy ;-)
>
>
> 3. ROLE OF VERNACULAR RADIO
> NJIRIRI: The vernacular stations would do more service to this country
> if they converted to swahili.
> MWARE: To me, a ban on tribal FM stations is long overdue.
> KAIRO: The problem is not that there are vernacular stations, but that
> these stations have been used irresponsibly by their promoters.
> Vernacular stations if responsibly managed can play the important
> function of positively promoting culture and traditions; which add to
> our national heritage
> WAINAINA: 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.
> YAWE:  I believe that Kiswahili and English programing should take up
> 80% of all radio station content otherwise we might as well have the
> parliamentarians take a vernacular proficiency test to be allowed to
> participate in elections and also have our national exams done in
> vernacular.
> NDEMO: The ICT Bill is coming up and we need your views on Venacular
> FM stations.
>
> @@ We seem to acknowledge that vernacular radio is a powerful tool for
> mobilisation. Let us now use the same mobilization power to encourage
> understanding and preach unity. Is there a Media Owner who can protest
> against such a provision in the ICT Bill or Media Act?
>
>
> 4. ADVERTISERS & VERNACULAR FM
> MUTHONI: May be those who pay advertising can assist, they are the
> ones who keep media in business.
> MICHAEL:  Should we not advertize on KBC radio because it is perceived
> to be the voice of the Government?
>
> @@ Michael has  point. However, the request to advertisers is to play
> a more "activist" role against stations that encourage tribalism or
> hate speech or similar misconduct. To sell, Safaricom, EABL etc need
> to advertise but what we ask of them is not to support the media
> houses that seem to openly encourage the kind of tension that puts the
> lives of their customers at risk and leads to loses to them.  Our
> request to advertisers is specific to tribalism, hate speech and
> related tension-building misconduct.
>
> 5. DISCIPLINE ON THE 4TH ESTATE
> THEURI: One suggestion would be to put financial penalties in place
> which the media council could impose on violators of its professional
> code of conduct. These penalties could be imposed based on a number of
> factors, for example:
>
> @@ Several times in the past, I broken ranks with members of civil
> society and the media who give the Press a blank cheque in the form of
> unregulated Media Freedom. It is sad that we had to get this far yet a
> significant section of the civil society seems to believe in "Press
> Freedom" even after 5 Administration Policemen died as a direct result
> of a questionable report by KTN & The Standard. What did the Media
> Council do? Did the Standard Group apologies? Do they now acknowledge
> that they and many Kenyans believe that the story was a fabrication
> that did not need to be aired/published? So I am for heavy penalties
> against such conduct by media houses. I work for one - and I believe
> we in the media owe Kenyans more than has been traditionally offered
> to viewers & listeners.
>
> 6. ICTs IN ELECTIONS & IN THE HEALING PROCESS
> FLORENCE: Allow me therefore to urge that the IT fraternity to start
> now, to get ready for the next election with all the might of project
> planning and funding ready.
>
> @@ As we speak, some of us in PAMONet and in KICTANet are negotiating
> with Safaricom on an SMS for Peace service for all Kenyans.  PAMONet
> is the Pan-African Mobile Activists Network coordinated at/by
> Fahamu.org