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

Alice Munyua alice at apc.org
Mon Mar 11 18:29:18 EAT 2013


Another take.

http://gathara.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-monsters-under-house.html




Best

Alice



On 11/03/2013 17:59, william janak wrote:
> I agree with Makali.
>
> Talking to folks out here gives you the impression that beneath the 
> over preached gospel of peace and the supposed sterling performance of 
> the media in promoting that peace that -most people feel their views 
> have been submerged and frustrated.
>
> There is a deep sense of resentment that certain key questions - the 
> hard questions that ought to be asked about the whole election process 
> are not being asked, even by the media - which has made the issue of 
> peace such a boring sing son.
>
> Janak.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.ca>
> *To:* williamjanak 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 5:25 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [kictanet] [mediaeditors] Role of the Media in Kenyan 
> Elections
>
> 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
>
> _______________
> "If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live,
> I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster."
> --- Isaac Asimo, Columbian Author and Scientist
> _______________
> PO Box 3234
> 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
> cell: +254 722 517 540
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:*Edith Adera <eadera at idrc.ca <mailto:eadera at idrc.ca>>
> *To:* dmakali at yahoo.com <mailto:dmakali at yahoo.com>
> *Cc:* KICTAnet - Media Editors Forum 
> <mediaeditors at lists.kictanet.or.ke 
> <mailto:mediaeditors at lists.kictanet.or.ke>>; KICTAnet ICT Policy 
> Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke 
> <mailto: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] 
> <mailto:[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 
> <mailto: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 methat  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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