[kictanet] [mediaeditors] Role of the Media in Kenyan Elections

Mon Mar 11 18:25:27 EAT 2013

Aye..!

Methinks we can treat the media stance this time around, a natural reflex in response to the horrifying aftermath dating 5 years ago. The same media was variously negatively cited as playing a prominent role then. While we can criticize media for any other shortcomings, I suppose we can applaud their huge role in preaching peace run-up, through, and after this campaign. Perhaps they overdid it, and did not strike a balance between keeping the peace, and objective reporting. Am least qualified to judge.

Having said that, at times I really marvel at how fast we forget critical issues on this list. In fact they literally slip through our fingers. Just last week we agreed to do a post audit of the failed technology process of this election. Are we still going to seek some answers to understand and possibly remedy what happened..?

Bwana Ps, where do we start...?

Meanwhile, lets entrust the legal framework to deal with the other aspects arising, that are beyond us..

Just me,

HarryEdith Adera <eadera at idrc.ca> wrote:A+

From: David Makali [mailto:dmakali at yahoo.com] 
Sent: March 11, 2013 5:18 PM
To: Edith Adera
Cc: KICTAnet - Media Editors Forum; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [mediaeditors] [kictanet] Role of the Media in Kenyan Elections

I disagree:
This boils down to the role of the media in a democratic society. Is it to abet the erosion of rights or to promote transparency and the expression of the popular will of the people? i see people on this forum trying to tweak the responsbiility of the media to their selfish interests - peace, investment and other pr concerns. those whose rights have been trampled by a fraudulent election are portrayed as a distraction in the grinding mill of our oh-so-good democracy and pretended peace. their protests are being pooh-poohed as anti-peace. i would rather not be part of this peace and tranquility bandwagon and stare the hard facts in the face. i would rather opt for the painful truth and justice path. it is the route to long lasting peace and democracy. it is the rationalisation of injustice and wrongdoing that breeds dictatorship and oppression. we must decline the popular excuses at every election that we are young and maturing, that in the interest of peace, we gloss over our failures and move on. this time, let us get it right. there should be no violence, but neither should threats of incitement be used against those who pursue their rights or the truth. 
the media has an obligation not just to give voice to those who are aggrieved but to go out on a limb to establish the veracity of their grievances. they cannot abdicate that responsibility as they have so far done on the pretext of keeping the peace. a sleeping press is not good even for peace. no.

- makali

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From: Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.ca>
To: dmakali at yahoo.com 
Cc: KICTAnet - Media Editors Forum <mediaeditors at lists.kictanet.or.ke>; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: [mediaeditors] [kictanet] Role of the Media in Kenyan Elections

Eric et al,

Suppressed opinions can be worse!

I happened to witness, first-hand, the Ghanaian campaigns and read about the elections; and the comments from Kenya’s IEBC chair, who was an observer, about how they were conducted, how the media gave the citizens the space to air views even when things did not work including during the challenging of the elections. You know and can attest to the fact that Ghanaians are NOT the lot to silence (your Nigerian brothers are even more vocal). Ghanaians speak their minds and air their views freely. A Ghanaian once told me “when it comes to politics, every Ghanaian is a political analyst; when it comes to football, every Ghanaian is a football commentator”…you can’t silence them.

Why do you want us to be different? Don’t talk about Post-election violence, as Ghana has gone through worse.

My point, why did we have this effect of silencing voices? What are the implications of the deafening silence from the citizenry?

Edith

From: Eric Osiakwan [mailto:ericosiakwan at me.com] 
Sent: March 11, 2013 12:37 PM
To: Edith Adera
Cc: KICTAnet - Media Editors Forum; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Role of the Media in Kenyan Elections

Edith hello:

Sometimes, it is better not to say nothing or pretend to be stupid for life to go on than to speak (demand your right) and end up with "violence" and life retrogresses - just saying..... 

I think you Kenyans should really commend yourselves, you have raised the bar on electoral conduct and peaceful outcomes no matter how long it takes -- the level of maturity exhibited by the average Wananchi is awesome. I saw first hand the level of investment that went into this election by government, media, parties etc and by all means those investments must pay off -- democracy is an expensive enterprise.

Something just hit me, Nigeria elected a 55year old President and Ghana followed suit by electing a 54year old and now you Kenyans have elected a 51year old -- the youngest President if am not wrong (i stand corrected) and i have noting against the older folks but i think this is significant....

Edith, in other words what am saying is, dont beat yourself too hard, Nigeria invested in a voters register that did not turn out well but their elections was scored above board, Ghana invested in biometrics for our last elections and it did not work out well but we scored above board and Kenya has done same, raising the bar. Offcourse we need to do introspection and better the processes and systems for the future, starting now.

For now, am just excited for Africa, we would fix this continent of ours and make it the best place for generations to come #AfricaIsInMotion.

Good day and great week, ya all.

Eric here

On 11 Mar 2013, at 08:34, Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.ca> wrote:

Listers,

For the 2007 elections, Bwana Ndemo is on record here (KICTANET) condemning the role of the media in fueling the violence.

In 2013, the media played a different role. If you now reflect back – deep and hard – it occurred to me that  the over-rated, over-hyped, over-done "call for peace" was actually a "tool of oppression"!!

Why do I say this? Many a Kenyans found themselves speechless and voiceless….you were not given a chance to speak your mind, to question, to freely air your opinions or liberally reflect on the going ons.  You were promptly slapped with the "peace call” which immediately silenced you! Why should I feel silenced by “a call for peace”? Our national anthem talks of “peace and liberty”, what happened to “liberty” during this period?

Most Kenyans locked themselves in their houses, scared stiff of the unknown. Reflecting back it was truly a "silence tool".

In my view, what is going on in Kenya is God’s birth of a NEW KENYA. It is NOT (and I repeat NOT) about THE WINNER or THE LOSERS (Do NOT get me wrong – I don’t mind about that). It is about laying a NEW FOUNDATION for Kenya that is built on TRUTH (RIGHTEOUSNESS) and JUSTICE, especially during this Jubilee period (50 years of our existence as a nation as we enter into the next 50 years – the next Jubilee).

From now on, and as our national anthem aptly states, JUSTICE will truly be our SHIELD and DEFENDER.

Sustainable peace (not FALSE PEACE) is built on the foundations of TRUTH (righteousness) and JUSTICE.

Reflective Edith

Quote: I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice (Albert Camus)

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