The Kenyan news media is plastered with headlines on a maize scandal. This time it is not William Ruto at the centre of it. Lo and behold, it is Prime Minister Raila Odinga!
First, I wish to advise Raila to find a proper PR person and fast. Some of the things I read in the standard attributed to his communications director are plain damaging and can send an innocent person to the gallows.
When I grew up I was repeatedly told that the Fourth Estate was objective and check out stories before publishing the same.
Consider this:
A few weeks ago, the media went ballistic on Agriculture Minister William Ruto accusing him of 'stealing maize'. This despite the fact that a simple check of the ministerial portfolios as published by the Office of the President wouød have shown that the said maize was never under the ministry of agriculture. I have yet to see a single apology from any quarter for smearing William Ruto - particularly after the minister in charge - Naomi Shaban - turned up to own the lost maize.
When I saw a huge image of Raila on the Daily Nation, I expected to read how the PM had been enriching himself personally from the maize imports. Instead I find circumstances described which then lead to the naming of "Raila's Family". One would think family would include more than one member of Raila's clan.
That granted, why on earth is the picture of that member of the family replaced with that of the Prime Minister?
Now we all know that last Tuesday was not a good day for the Party of National Unity (!) The Speaker of the National Assembly made a ruling that many would find neutral. Not so for PNU that has interpreted it as a 'victory' for Raila Odinga. Can they now convince a child in Kenya that the whole maize scandal is not a revenge attack against the man they believe beat them in parliament?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
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