[kictanet] Bitange for President? Reality-on Media

[bitange at jambo.co.ke]

Alice,
For the first time since I started using Internet, someone has blocked my
@jambo.co.ke address.  I still cannot figure out what happened.  My
redundancy @information.go.ke is working.  Let me respond to your
questions in a roundabout way by narrating my experience this weekend.
I went for gym at the club on Saturday morning.  As I did my workout, a
middle aged woman kept an eye on me.  I sensed there might be something
strange.  As I walked out, she accosted me.  She first apologized for
taking my time and enquired if I mind talking to her.  I said no problem. 
Following was our conversation:
Woman: My name is xxx and work for an AIDs NGO.  Have you ever heard of
Swaggerific?
Me: No.
Woman: Then what are you doing at your Ministry?
Me: Many things except that name you said.
Woman:  This is a dance that was introduced by a Jamaican Musician
sometime in April and it is all pornography.  PS I know during my time we
rioted but this is not dancing.  Do you have kids?  Go check this on
google.  Are your kids teenagers?
Me: Thanks for your information, we do regulate film but we are not the
ones regulating or licensing Music.  I will find out exactly how musicians
are licensed on such performances.
Woman: Do not tell me that.  You are responsible for Internet.  Go delete
this rubbish from google.  Kids are sending clips of this nonsense to one
another.
Me: I cannot cheat you that  I will be able to delete this offensive
content from google.  You have a responsibility to take care of your
children.  I sense that no matter what I say here I am not going to make
you happy.
Woman: Dakitari listen.  Please go watch that.  They did it in front of
innocent kids.  They did it!
By this time some gym goers were attentive wondering what our discussion
was about.  I sort of brought them into the discussion in order to free
myself.  It worked.  Later I googled this new terminology – swaggerific
concert in Kenya.  Even with my liberalist approach to life, it is baad.

What should be our policy towards offensive content on Internet?  While
most conservatives may disagree with me, there is as much good in internet
as there is bad.  The difference is our approach to Internet.  Parents
should not allow unrestricted use of internet to minors.  I am putting the
burden on those close to children.  Further there is nothing that young
adults do not know.  They will get over it as they grow older.  This is
the essence of freedom of speech.  This however is moderated by the values
that we instill in our children.  You cannot pretend to manage hate speech
through arrests.  Let a value system evoke our natural conscience to deal
with this.  Our kind of hate does not run deep as in other countries to
warrant censure of Internet.  If we make sure that we equitably distribute
our national cake, we shall avoid the 2007 crisis.  By this I mean it must
be seen that we all have equal chances of succeeding.   I have done this
before and I am capable of doing it in a large scale.

On Media, we need to implement the broadcast regulations and the code that
has already been developed.  The hard part of coming up with a legal
framework is over.  Much of what the FMs were doing is what fed into
internet and SMS.  It is therefore imperative that we implement these
regulations before 2012.  I know we shall have a challenge with several
court cases to be introduced in order to block smooth implementation but
the power of the people is far much stronger.  I will make noise when that
comes and I hope I get the public support. I am confident that 2012 is a
whole new ball game.  We have several legislations that were not there in
2007.  We have a new constitution that seems to mitigate against such
eventuality.

Regards

Ndemo.




> Dear P.S Ndemo,
>
>
> I would like to take you back to the question on media.
>
>
> The role played by media, mobile phone sms's, internet, (e-mail, blogs,
> websites, etc) during both the pre and post-election period in 2007-2008
> is well documented, with media picking up and
> printing/broadcasting uncensored statements by politicians and sometimes
> government that amounted to hate speech, which helped to create the
> right kind of environment that exploded into our bloody violence, but
> also promoting good civic behavior,  peace and human rights campaigns.
>
>
> Government has so far responded  with various media related policies and
> the new constitution is set to radically change the environment within
> which media operates. But taking into consideration the  ever changing
> nature of new technology and how it affects media policy and regulation,
> how would you ensure that policy and regulation keep up?
>
> -What has been the impact, has there been any additional
> policy/regulatory processes?
>
>
> -How would you/your government address this challenge (hate speech etc)
> if it were to occur again?
>
>
> Best
>
> Alice
>
>
>
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