1The Media ObserverJANUARY- MARCH 2015

BSERVERWatching the Watchdog

Debunking Fake News

A Publication of the Media Council of Kenya Issue 29 , 24 July 2018

Issue 29, 24 July 2018

Editorial

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Dear Scribe,

The latest issue of the Media Observer explores, at the very beginning, deeper issues in our society and how to govern molarity – how does one effectively regulate the moral aspectsof a people?? Take for example Citizen TV’s 10over10 show, between Adam and Eve, should there exist a commandment? Well, media moral cops are on the rise and the Observer has scripted a piece of critique. Just for you.

Further, the Observer cannot but fail to notice that the Ruaraka Land saga has presumably dragged on for too long. In here, it will be important to look at how best this story would have been covered, are there details that journalists missed out on? What really happened to the land, who is theowner and who are the ‘real’ and ‘imagined’ beneficiaries of the supposed land loot? People Daily told a great story with proper sense of outrage. As when it appears that the country’s wealth is in shaky hands, citizens, owners of the wealth, have a right to credible information, the Observer declares.

Oh, and not forgetting that this was the week when Obama (former POTUS) and “our son”, was in town. It had been told to us that the president would bring along 350 celebritiesand notable investors. What happened to the 350? Was it necessary for the media to give the visit such hype? Well, PR stunts are a great thing, but only for propagandists, not forour most honourable media.

And then there was a story, again by the for-free People Daily that declared a Kericho Hotel number two for adoptinga policy that barred unmarried couples from accessing their premises, thereby effectively preventing them from doing “bad things” in their hotel. How was this conclusion arrived at? And where there enough sources for this story to be published? The Observer is mesmerised.

For these and more, we present to you the Media Observer Issue 29.

Read on.

Issue 29, 24 July 20182

10over10 TV show will kill Kenya

On the eighth day God resumed his work of creation. He had spent the previous day resting and now felt sufficiently refresh-ed to proceed. God said, “Let us create television. TV is a goodsource of news and entertainment. Eve will certainly love it. She is lonely most evenings and on week-ends when Adam goesout to drink illicit brews with his buddies. Matiang’i has failed to eradicate these brews. I don’t know what to do.”

Then God squatted and with his index finger sketched out a TV set in the dust. He stood up and commanded in a loud voice: “Television, you have been created. Stand up!”

A 42-inch brand new Samsung TV stood right there, gleaming in the bright sun. God picked it up and took it to Adam and Eve. God said,

“This is a television set. It is good for you. It will bring you news from around the world and great entertainment. Watch all the programmes on this TV, except one: the 10/10 show hosted by Willis Raburu. The moment you watch it you go blind.”

Then God installed the TV set in Adam and Eve’s sitting room, switched it on and left. Immediately Eve grabbed the remote.

Adam and Eve enjoyed watching TV. They watched the World Cup, live coverage of Obama’s visit to his father’s home in K’ogelo. They watched ‘Inspector Mwala’, ‘Mother-in-Law’, Afrosinema, Mexican soaps. It was thrilling.

Now, the devil was the most cunning creature God had made. One Friday evening while Adam was away drinking illicit brews in filthy mabati shacks behind the Garden of Eden, the devil came to their home and met Eve watching TV.

The devil wore a shimmering white suit, red tie and matching shoes. His whole body was pinkish likethat of a newborn. He had silky white hair. The devil was the exact opposite of Adam and Eve who were as black as Fred Obachi Machoka. He spoke strangely, like he didn’t want the words to come out of his mouth. Thewords sounded like they came out through his long, raised nose.

“Hi Eve. I hear God said you shouldn’t watch 10/10”, the devil said.

“Yes”, Eve replied. “He said we watch all the program-mes except it. We will become blind if we watch 10/10.”

The devil burst out into prolonged laughter. “Nah!” he drawled. “10/10 is the best show to ever appear on TV. God knows it. He watches it. You will not become blind if you watch the show. God just doesn’t want you to watch it, that is all. But it is the best show ever!”

“No, no, we can’t disobey God,” Eve said.

“I have lived with God all my life. I know him very well. He means no harm. He is only playing a little prank. There is nothing more to it. Watch the show just once and see for yourself.”

Eve resisted but she was curious about 10/10. What was the show about, she wondered.

The clock struck 10pm. In one quick movement the devil took the remote from her and switched on the TV. 10/10 show was just starting. Eve tried not to look but curiosity got the better of her.

She opened her eyes and watched the show with the devilbeside her. It was, indeed, the best TV show she had ever seen. She was thrilled.

“And see, you are not blind or are you?” the devil teased and broke into his long, uproarious laughter.

The devil left.

The next Friday evening, Adam was home. He didn’t go to the shacks to drink because he was broke. Husband and wife watched several programmes and the news. As it approached 10pm, Adam announced he would switch off the TV. Eve said,

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“The 10/10 show is about to start. Can we watch just a bit of it?”

“Are you out of your mind?” Adam yelled, standing to his full height, hands akimbo. “You heard what God said, right?” He switched off the television.

“But you are always like that,” Eve said. “I can’t suggest anything in this house. You are always shouting at me.” She was sobbing.

“No. Be reasonable,” Adam said, lowering his voice and sitting down. “Do you really understand what you are asking for? Look, we don’t want to annoy God. But not only that. Do you want us to go blind?”

“This is not about God,” Eve said, still snuffling. “It is about you. I can’t ask you for anything. It is all fine for you when you leave me here alone and go drinking with your buddies all evenings and weekends. It is okay for me to live such a miserable life. You don’t care. You only care about yourself.”

Adam sank into a long moment of silence. “Okay,” he sighed,defeated. “But are you sure we will not go blind?” he asked, nearly choking on his words.

“How am I to know?” Eve said. “But why would God want to turn us blind for such a small thing? I think he never meantit.”

The clock struck 10pm. Eve grabbed the remote and switch-ed on the TV. 10/10 was just starting. What a show! Husband and wife were glued to the screen. No one spoke.

But in about five minutes everything went blank. Adam and Eve realised they were blind. They were in shock.

Just then they heard God walking towards their house whistling a familiar tune. He stood outside the house. God said,

“Adam, how are you?”

Adam cried out, “We are blind!”

God said, “Did you watch the show I ordered you not to? Did you disobey me?” For a moment God regretted creating TV.

“It is this woman who switched on the TV. I tried to stop her,” Adam said.

God said, “Because you have disobeyed me, you will suffer. I will open your eyes to see your children burning dorms. They will hide bottles of liquor in their school buses when they go out on trips. Your children will smoke weed. They will beat up and chase away teachers from schools. Teenagepregnancies will be widespread. They will be addicted to betting.

“As for Willis Raburu who runs that show, I have reserved for him a special corner in hell.”

Then God walked away into the night. And immediately the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened.

Media hype about Obama’s little visit

Now, Barack Obama - you have a neo-liberal black president of the most powerful empire in the world; he was never a revolutionary figure inthe way Nelson Mandela was. He has always been a neo-liberal politician. He was a black face of the American empire and he [has], in my view,

commit[ted] war crimes with his drones in Pakistan and Yemen and Somalia and Libya. - Cornel West, Professor of the Practiceof Public Philosophy, Harvard Divinity School, US.

Former US President Barack Obama’s second coming (or was it fifth?) was a sore disappointment for the media clergy. Perhaps a fitting warning to all those people who entertain delusions of messiahs.

The People Daily captured the little visit in its Monday, July 16 headline thus: “No fanfare as Obama returns.”

“No Beast, no hawk-eyed and intimidating security agents swarming the runway, no enthusiastic crowds lining up Mombasa Road all the way to State House from the airport,” the paper reported.

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The highest-ranking state official who received the former US leader was Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma.

Of course Obama came back as a former president. He isn’t the POTUS. Why did people still hope to see the razzmatazz of 2015?

The Nation’s attempt to rally the country around the visit fell flat. The paper’s Monday headline, “He’s home, finally,” sound-ed so contrived. There was no excitement.

Obama’s much-touted visit to his father’s village in K’ogelo, Siaya County, was equally colourless. Two Citizen TV reporters covering the trip filed nearly identical reports about tight security and the disappointment of residents who had expected to see Obama up close or to even shake hands.

Obama spoke about his memories of Kenya, praised the Uhuru-Raila handshake, pontificated about fighting corruption and negative ethnicity and tried to sell to Kenyan youth the false American dream– that everyone can make it in life, regardless of objective circumstances, if they only put their mind toit. Uh?

The media had expected a humongous homecoming, similar to that of 2015. “As the country welcomes its son ‘home’, this trip provides a fresh momentum to learn from Obama’s experience, while making us alive to the significance of Kenya’s relationship with the United States and the international community,”the Standard voiced its messianic hopes in an editorial published on Sunday, July 15.

Journalists who should understand world politics still write such inanities? Did the trip provide any fresh momentum? What exactly is fresh momentum, anyway?

But by far the most ecstatic (and misleading) reporting of the visit was by the Star - the fresh, independent and different newspaper.

“Oprah in Obama’s delegation to Kenya”, the paper jubilated on June 20.

“TV sensation Oprah Winfrey is among 350 celebrities and notables who will accompany former US President Barack Obama to Kenya on July 16”, the paper reported.

Mark that figure: 350 celebrities and notables.

“It is understood that State House is considering honouring Obama for the role he played in putting Kenya on the world map”, the story said.

Sorry, Kenya has been on the world map for decades, put there by British colonialists. Those are the plunderersState House should be demanding reparations from, not honouring.

According to the Star, Obama’s entourage would featureprofessionals, celebrities, philanthropists, activists, top lawyers, businessmen, diplomats and friends. The 350.These glitterati were supposed bring us lots of goodies and change our miserable lives forever.

Anthropologists studying Melanesian communities in south Pacific discovered the cargo cult. It is a systemof beliefs based on the expected arrival of ancestral spirits in ships bringing cargoes of food and other goods.

Kenya is a country waiting for messiahs. The cargo cult mentality explains the crowds of idiots traveling long distances, staying up all night, giving away the little they have and grovelling before “prophets” and other charla-tans, hoping for a miracle.

That seems to be what the Star was priming the country for ahead of Obama’s visit.

“Well known businessman and golfer John Simba is scheduled to play a round of golf with Obama atMuthaiga Golf Club to raise money for Sauti Kuu Foundation,” the paper went on.

“US-based Senegalese musician Akon is also in the lot together with Zimbabwe’s renowned maestro Oliver Mutukudzi who will be travelling with his daughter Simona.”

The lies journalists get away with!

Well, Obama came and went, leaving us right heredrinking tea fortified with mercury and copper.

MCK 1st to 3rd August 2018.

Be it resolved: The Kenyan Media Is Under Capture

How to register: 1. Visit www. mediasummit.or.ke 2. On the Top Menu Click [Register] 3. Select Debate 4. Register Under [Students] Category.

Registration is FREE!!!

www.mediasummit.or.ke

Time to!

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This is journalism with a sense of outrage, kudos!

Kenya’s free newspaper, the People Daily, last Friday hit the streets with a front-page story that stinks. No, the reporting didn’t stink. Far from it. The reporting was phenomenal, loaded with names, timelines, document references, all the hallmarks of verification. It’s these facts that left readers with the kind of stink that doesn’t leave your nose for a long time.

The story of Ruaraka land saga laid out in startling detail how Sh1.5 billion of taxpayers’ money was paid out by the National Land Commission and swiftly withdrawn in a record three days. Three days. And within one month, the money had found its way to 16 different private accounts.

This is the kind of story that you begin reading while stirringsugar into a cup of hot chocolate on a freezing July morning and, before you raise the cup to your lips, you freeze. You gingerly put the cup back down on the table and grab the news-paper in both hands.

You grab the newspaper in both hands because you want to make sure you’re reading this right. Because your gut tells you everything you just read in two short paragraphs is so wrong at so many levels. And your gut will be right.

One-point-five-billion shillings. Your brain registers that there are eight zeros, a five and a one in that figure. Okay. Then your brain asks, to whom has the NLC paid such money? For what? Why was it all then transferred elsewhere, within three days? And why did the money then need to be split further into 16 different accounts with different owners?

First, we checked with a banker to ask just how much cash in

total is ordinarily possible to withdraw in one day.

Answer: you can’t walk to a bank and say you want Sh200million. They just won’t have it. In a sidebar titled, “How money changed hands in mega land scandal,” Irene Githinji wrote that processing Sh1.5 billion through 16 private accounts would ideally take several months, sometimes a year.

Logically, therefore, for these transactions to have takenplace, electronically or otherwise, prior arrangement and clearance must have been obtained. Bank tellers, managers and all sorts of decision makers lined up all theway to the Central Bank must have signed off on it. Also,when such monies start moving around at dizzying speeds, somebody whose job is to smell money launder-ing must also know.

And -- wait for it – the monies were paid despite a 2016 court order halting the process!

In other words, regardless of what they’ll tell you in the courts, if this matter comes to court, it’s hard to believe Kenyans were not screwed. No amount of sanitising will remove the stink.

The People Daily told the story beautifully.

The headline said, “Matiangi now under probe over Ruaraka land.” The story is that one day, a man wrote toNLC complaining the government had been occupying his land for 30 years, for free.

So, NLC Chairman Muhammad Swazuri wrote in Septe-mber 2013 to then Education CS Fred Matiang’i.

In his letter, Swazuri told Matiang’i NLC had indeedconfirmed that Ruaraka primary and secondary schools were sitting on over 13,000 acres of private land withoutcompensation. Could Matiang’i confirm and make arrangements to pay the man?

It took nearly five years before the Education ministry wrote a definitive reply. In March last year, Swazuri received Matiangi’s reply stating in part that his Ministry had determined it was necessary for the government to acquire all the land in question.

Wait, so it’s true the government was sitting on private

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land for 30 years for free? How is that even possible?

We asked land experts. The answer is that the original transa-ction may have been bungled. Or definitive documents disappeared. In other words, it’s quite possible that the Gov-ernment of Kenya was about to pay for the same property twice! If true, is anyone to be held accountable for any part of such a fiasco? Well, it appears nobody at the Education ministry or NLC or the Kenya Police has asked that question.

Instead, the story says Swazuri then asked Matiangi’s ministry to deposit Sh3.2 billion into NCL account. Sh3.2 billion. Just like that. But Matiangi’s accounting officer, Principal SecretaryBello Kipsang, sensibly sought the blessing of Attorney General’s office. This was obtained. And soon after, the monies started walking.

Now it’s important to pause here and note that in govern-ment, people do not ordinarily come to the office on a Monday morning to find important letters about billions of shillings on their desk. People --real, breathing human beings -- first sit down and talk. Important letters only record already-agreed stuff.

Well, the People Daily told a great story with proper senseof outrage. This is watchdog journalism.

When it appears that the country’s wealth is in shakyhands, citizens, owners of the wealth, have a right to know.

Doing ‘bad things’ in hotel rooms

Sometimes reporters create their own facts. On Monday, July 16, the People Daily carried a story about a woman rep who was apparently denied a hotel room in Kericho on suspicion that she was going there with a man to do bad things.

“Drama unfolded in Kericho town after a hotel allegedly denied Laikipia Woman Rep Catherine Waruguru and her spouse access citing lack of evidence they were married,” the paper reported.

It seems the hotel is owned by one of those Christians who don’t want people doing ‘bad things’ in their premises. We hopethe hotel vets all their customers to make sure the money they pay for services is clean – not got from NYS scams, gambling, narcotics, etcetera.

But throughout the People daily story, there was no single detail of any drama unfolding. Waruguru was only quoted as complaining about the way she was treated. Hotel manager Frank Kirui confirmed the hotel reserves the right of admission

and doesn’t want men and women doing bad things there. The purported drama only unfolded inside the People Daily reporter’s head. But that was not the only problem with the story.

“The establishment is the second to make such a rule after Muriu’s Guest House in Nakuru town made it a policy 15 years ago that no couples could spend a night at the facility without producing a marriage certificate or other documentary evidence to prove the legitimacy of their union,” the report went on.

How sure is the People Daily that the Kericho hotel is the second one to have this rule? Are they sure there areno other hotels in Kenya with a similar rule? How did the paper establish this as a fact?

Two paragraphs down, the paper reported: “Investors in hospitality industry, mostly staunch believers, haveembraced the policy of locking guests without marriage certificates to deter adultery, among other reasons.”

So, it is not just two hotels in Nakuru and Kerichostopping people from doing bad things in their rooms.

It is an industry-wide phenomenon.

Which is which? Only two hotels or many in the industry have embraced this rule? If the latter, howdid the People Daily establish this as a fact?

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PEN COP: Wearing smiles on their faces?The multi-million-shilling sporting complex launched by former US President Barack Obama on Monday has apparently elicited cynicism and optimism in equal measure. (People Daily, July 18 p.12) Whomeasured the amount of cynicism and optimism and found them equal? How?

Kenyans will have to bear with the burden of higher consumer in coming weeks as new tax measures take effect then loaded on to commodity prices. (People Daily, July 18 p.12) What is the meaning of thissentence?

And although he is no longer in office, Mr Obama returned to his pet subject of democracy, equal opportunities and diversity; the same message he delivered when he gave a public lecture at Kasarani stadium, Nairobi,three years ago. (Daily Nation, July 17, p.2) Damn! Does one have to hold political office to talk about democracy, equal opportunities, whatnot?

In the Kenya Power annual report for the year ended June 2017, most of the company’s executive managers who are in the dock for abuse of office charges pose elegantly dressed in suits and wearing smiles on their faces. (Daily Nation, July 19 p.4) Wearing smiles on their faces? Well, where do the rest of us wear ours?

Many observers say the changes are emboldened by the fact that Uhuru is serving his last term as President and is keen to build a powerful legacy.” (Standard, July 19, p.4). Embolden: give (someone) thecourage or confidence to do something or to behave in a certain way. So, how can changes be emboldened?

The government has moved to stem over-reliance on maize and subseq-uent consumption of ugali. (Standard, July 19, p.27). So, what is over-reliance on maize and why is consumption of ugali subsequent to it?

A meeting yesterday resolved that, among other things, a physical head count of the officers be conducted across the country to rid the service of ghost workers with a team of officers going to all stations to confirm whether the officers are at such stations according to the last nominal roll submitted to the headquarters. (People Daily, July 19, p.6) That sentence has 55 words. The 26 words after “workers”are useless as all they describe is the already stated head count.

He, too, suffered the fury of the deadly weapon he had unleashed on his loved ones-turned objects of hateand is now nursing serious burns at the Coast General Hospital. (People Daily, July 18, P.4). Come on! Ahuman being cannot suffer the “fury of a deadly weapon”, for the simple reason that objects are incapable of emotion. Too much drama. How about a straight forward statement like: The offender was injured with the same sword and is

nursing injuries in Coast General Hospital”?

The school management demanded that all students report back with parents and clear pending fees. However, after the parents had made all the payments they were confronted with a new mandatory item christened “student welfare” under which each student is expected to pay Ksh 1000 per term. Marandahas 60 students per class with 11 streams. If each student pays this amount per month, it amounts to 7,920,000 in a year’. (Star July 19, P.3) The confusion in the statement is whether the amount is paid monthly or per term. If it’s per term, then the total is incorrect. Get pen and paper, do the math.

Most of those killed are aged between 17 and 30 years, leaving behind many mourning parents, orphaned children and young widows. (Standard, July 19) Use of “many” adds no value to the statement. And orphaned children? Which other orphans does the Standard know of? Adult orphans?

Residents of Makutano town in West Pokot are lament that the poor drainage system in the area is the cause of flooded ditch after a 4-year-old child drowns to death. (NTV on Twitter, July 18) This must be direct translation from some vernacular. And what is a four-year-old child? Who knows, there could be four-year-old men and women doing stuff at Nation Centre.

A man in Nakuru found having an unnatural act with a cow. Tagline: Livestock continue to feel the heat (Ebru TV, July 18, 7pm news) A perverse attempt to sexualise cows. And is it Ebru TV’s opinion, or did they interview the victim-cow?

The decision of the Court of Appeal is a big blow to Mr Awiti who was hospitalised recently over undisclosed illness. (Nation online, July 19)Why a big blow? In whose opinion? What court decision qualifies as a big blow? And how is the governor’s health related to the court ruling?

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Issue 29, 24 July 20188

FAKE NEWS: What Jalang’o told Obama

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Tanzanian Bongo musician TID who is in Kenya to launch his fifth album has refuted claims seen onlinethat he attacked a fellow musician. TID said reports that he threatened to assault Ray C are farfetched.

A Daily Post article says President Uhuru Kenyatta is planning to change all the boarding schools into dayschools. But nowhere does the report quote the President. The Ministry of Education is expanding someboarding schools to have day sections.

Governor Waititu is reportedly planning to decriminalise bhang in Kiambu county. Unfortunately, the article merely mentions that the governorcompared bang to illicit brews. He never encouraged anyone to consume bhang.

Larry Madowo turned 21? Well, the BBC Africa business editor celebrated his 31st birthday. Blogsclaimed he was turning 21.

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FAKE NEWS: What Jalang’o told Obama

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Did Obama attack Raila? Barack Obama’s statement during the launch of a Sauti Kuu project in Siaya lastweek was not directed to Raila Odinga. He said some people claim to be his family members.

A Facebook user has alleged that Laikipia residents held demonstrations in the town to protest theirWoman Representative Catherine Waruguru’s denial of access into a hotel in Kericho after failing to showproof of her marriage. No such demos have beenreported.

Claims emerged online that Governor Mike Sonko never got an opportunity to greet Obama. The sensationalheadline alleged that Obama embarrassed the governor. There is no independent confirmationof the alleged incident.

An article purported that artist ‘Jalango’ who emceed the Obama`s event revealed a secret to the formerUS President that has left Raila Odinga in shock. Whatdid he reveal? The article fails to give details of theclaim.

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"I have come to realise that neither money nor fame can make you a better journalist, but passion can. Make sure you are going for knowledge, and try identifying yourself with a media house that is believable to be good, more than looking for the money that you will scoop from them, although we are in different journeys in this field."

ANNE NGUGI, BBC journalist.

VIEWPOINT

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 The Media Observeris published weekly bythe Media Council of Kenya.

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@MediaObserverKE

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observer@mediacouncil.or.ke

Issue 29, 24 July 2018

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