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Sunday, March 18, 2007

Shocking Revelations From Arrested Crime Editor Stephen Muiruri

Special Sunday Edition:

Evidence Emerges That Most Of The News You Get From Kenya's Most Trusted News Source Is Censored And "Doctored"


Former Nation newspapers crime editor Stephen Muiruri has just released a statement detailing his arrest a few days ago that lays bare some shocking details. So shocking and earth shattering are the revelations that this blogger has broken with tradition to publish on a Sunday.
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Also published today;
Stephen Muiruri's Arrest: Writer Issues A Statement Repeating That His Life Is In Danger

Why Nation sex scandal must be seen in new light now
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Just as was suspected, Muiruri's arrest was linked to the anonymous letters that have been circulating on the Internet alleging a sexual scandal at the largest media house in East and Central Africa, the Nation Media group.

There is now clear and irrevocable evidence that the daily media in Kenya usually censor what is published in line with various powerful interests. For instance Muiruri reveals that although all media houses were alerted by the Kenyan Human rights commission and were present during his arrest, all save Capital FM gave the incident a blackout. Only the People Daily and The Kenya Times carried a story on the incident the next day. He also points to another press conference called by the Kenya Union of Journalists a few weeks ago to address his resignation and the anonymous sex-scandal letters on the Internet, which was also given a total blackout. Such is the power of the Nation media group.

Interestingly the story of Muiruri's arrest was actually written by a Nation reporter but senior editor Joseph Odindo halted its' publication and the article was trashed. The big question Kenyans must now ask and answer for themselves based on the facts here is; how many other important stories of this nature are written and trashed on a daily basis. How much news has been blacked out, so that we, Kenyans will never know the truth?

It is incredulous to think that as dangerous criminals roam the streets, killing and maiming Kenyans, the resources of the CID should be so occupied chasing what can only be a civil case. It tells you a lot about the priorities of our top criminal investigation unit in Kenya. It seems that as ordinary wananchi suffer; those who are supposed to protect them are using tax-payers money and resources to be at the beck and call of the high and mighty.

Part of the problem we have in Kenya is that we have one media house that is just too powerful. So powerful that editors at the said media house, the Nation Media Group, have long acted in a manner that suggests that they are confusing themselves with God.

The writing is now clearly on the wall and we the people of Kenya need to do something very urgently to deal with this "monster" before it swallows up press freedom, our dreams and everything we hold dear. Can you imagine what will happen during the forthcoming general elections, with the sort of editorial policy that the Nation has? Apparently they also have the muscle and influence to easily kill a story in every other media house in the country. Fellow Kenyans please wake up and understand the gravity and implications of this!!

We must now forget the sex scandal (as horrifying as it is) and focus on the huge danger to Kenya and Kenyans that this "monster" poses as we head to the general elections. Millions of our countrymen still read the Nation as if it were the gospel truth and many believe that if something has not been published in the Nation, then it is not true. With the sort of manipulations and cover-ups going on over such a petty issue, one wonders what other cover-ups and manipulations of a greater magnitude and national nature are going on. I do not even want to think of the information that I have received recently (that I am still investigating) that certain recent appointments at the Nation were made with the intention of influencing the forthcoming general elections.

A thoughtful reader of this blog recently suggested a boycott of the Nation. I am giving the matter some deeper thought and prayer as well as exploring other options. Kenyans everywhere of goodwill should do the same so that we can come up with an effective way of fighting back. Remember that much more than the forthcoming polls is at stake here. Muiruri for instance has revealed that he has received at least two death threats. Fellow Kenyans we need to act quickly, if for nothing else, then to save the precious life of our brother. A very brave Kenyan who has already risked his life many times to ensure that we get to know the truth. How many times has he unearthed the truth when others deliberately wanted to mask it, as crime editor at the Nation?

It has been the habit of Kenyans not to care less when something happens to somebody else who is not their relative or close associate. That is how the Kanu regime managed to oppress us for so many years. Let us learn from the past and act swiftly this time. If you don't then you can be sure that today it is Stephen Muiruri and tomorrow it will be you.

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4 comments:

  1. Chris,

    I must applaud your efforts to stick to the truth, report the rot as it is. The issue of news censorship is not new. In fact, most Kenyans believe that there is a form of censorship in our news coverage, this inspite of the great leaps in press freedom experienced post 2002.

    I truly believe that a boycott on Nation or other media outlets will have no major effect. This can be directly attributed to class interests. It is a prctice that happens in most countries. The owners of capital control the media. It is that simple.

    These 'capital owners' are bound by their similar interest i.e. maximisation of wealth at most and protection of wealth and maintainance of the status quo at the least. As a result, issues that are deemed detrimental to the status quo are quashed.

    This is very unfortunate. The only way out of such a mess is popular blogs such as this to expose such issues, or even better, a morally conscious Kenyan enterpreneur forms a media house. Anything less than ownership of capital by conscientious individuals will not guarantee the end of censorship.

    Or what do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mr Ngunyi,

    I have studied the world media in great detail over the years and especially the likes of the most powerful media baron the world has ever senn, Rupert Murdoch, and I can firmly say that you are absolutely correct about where media control usually is wherever in the world you look.

    However I think a media boycott can be partially effective. Remember that a newspaper fights daily for every bit of circulatiion it can get and a campaign to discourage the public from purchasing the newspaper can be very effective if executed well. Especially now when thesigns are that the \Nation ahs been struggling to sustain circulation the wake of better TV news, the Internet, poverty and other factors.

    What do the others think?

    Kumekucha

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ngunyi, I have studied the same and you are realy right. The Nation, Standard and any powerful media house the whole world will have their way.

    the best thing is to have people support the People Daily, though, the man who owns is should be ready to employ some professionalim in the management or we use this medium, that has proven a hit in the last few months.

    The best way it to support the local newspapers that have the Kenyans at heart. Standard are doing well but the Moi family connetion does it in at times.

    ReplyDelete
  4. True, the media world over serves political interest for their selfish interest at the expense of wider public good. But at least out there media houses are known to stand for specific issues like the Financial Times, Gurdian and the Observer are known tangible ideologies that is ocassionally slanted to suit political dimensions. Ours unfortunately seems to be going the raw way oblivious of any tenet but pursuit of leather at hell price.

    A boycot no matter the magnitude can be very effective. As any NMG guy when their distributio van was attached sometimes back in Ahero (read no malicious lip/print reading please) by people objecting to their coverage. NMG had to change tact given the fact that they know what porportionof readership the Western edition constitutes.

    Another prong is this blog and like minded ones to engage other Kenyans by highlighting the truth in its barest form without censorship. People daily would have been a viable alternative but just like Std has Moi's image lurking on its shadows, until Matiba re-evaluates his priorities and professionalizes it, then it would better revert to the weekly it was when all and sundry was waiting with baited breath for Frank, Fair and Fearless People weekly.

    Ours leaders and even the media managers seem to think that Kenyans can be fooled all the time and we must disabuse them of this farce. Only us can stop them from inadveertently turning this marvelous country into a banana republic.

    ReplyDelete

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