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Monday, November 12, 2007

Open Letter to Chris: Politics and Kumekucha

I hope this finds you well.
I read a comment on Kumekucha recently (in reaction to your article “Kenyans Speak Bluntly about Elections 2007”) urging you to declare the candidate that Kumekucha is supporting for the presidency in this year’s elections. It got me thinking.

The comment read:
Chris, do you know a time will come soon (I think it’s time is overdue) when this publication – Kumekucha – will have to confirm its support to one of the candidates/political party for Kenya’s 2007 elections? It is a worldwide practice and is acceptable journalism that newspapers, magazines and other news sources to publish what they call editorials. I know many people think this an ODM blog. I beg to differ. The sooner you announce a position the better. An editorial policy influences readership (in this case, hits) and you should not fear anything in this regard. Taking a position by voting for your preferred candidate is democratic and shows that you are taking your responsibilities as a citizen seriously. For that reason I encourage you/ Taabu/ Luke/ Ritch to endorse the candidature of Raila Odinga so we may get over with it.

My Take
First things first. Chris, I know Kumekucha is not an ODM blog. It seems to be an ODM blog because of the ‘loudness’ of one Phil in favour of ODM and Raila Odinga.

Another thing, most people ‘saunter’ to Kumekucha because, here, they are not ‘coerced’ or ‘arm-twisted’ to think well of (and to eventually vote for) any one candidate as other e-magazines and blogs have been doing in the recent past. (I am quite aware that the different political parties have their own web sites, blogs and e-magazine. Their work is to talk well of their candidates and to drum support for them. There is nothing wrong with that.)

Kumekucha is a different kettle of fish altogether. It is a mélange of different and disparate opinions on the Kenyan society and especially Kenya’s political landscape. Taking sides will disturb the status quo that Kumekucha now enjoys and feeds off.

People who support different candidates for the presidency exist in harmony here at Kumekucha for this blog cuts right across the political divide. Drumming support for a single candidate here will mean that you’ll be throwing objectivity out the window. (Objectivity being one of the foundation blocks of credible journalism!).

Chris, this is just food for thought. And with that, I rest my case.

8 comments:

  1. True Rich guy. One thing people tellingly fail to appreciate is the fact that being NEUTRAL is not only a democratic right but above all else a firm DECISION. You only enjoy the horses being ridden madly downhill by standing on vantage horselessness. I hold no brief for Chris but he knows how cheap his CREDIBILITY will mealt anytime he panders to the whims of the HORSE RIDERS.

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  2. Is This Blog politically neutral? who do is fooling who? What are you going to tell us next? That Kioko of BC is going to vote for Raila? annony..

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  3. I totally agree with Ritch and Taabu. Once Kumekucha declares whom he is supporting for the presidency then this blog will in a second become a blog for the party he will be supporting ... and to shed that off will take a really long time (and not only that, it will be a waste of much needed time and space). Since we all know that none of the presidential aspirants will take us where we want to be as Kenyans ... my take is that Kumekucha remains horseless in this elections and concentrate in campaigning for individuals we need in 2012 and the likes of Kajairo for the coming elections ... in whichever party they will be in.

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  4. let there be no confusion please-Chris can and should go ahead and declare who he is supporting for presidency-that is also just as much his democratic right as it is for him to choose not announce his political preferences but if and when he is inclined to do so he should NOT also go ahead and POLLUTE this neutral forum with mad sycophantic rantings of foot soldier suffering verbal diarrhoea-there is a fine line with between loyal voter support and blind idol worship by hungry,starving voters
    Have a preferred candidate-avoid sycophancy

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  5. Reminds me of Aziz Abdi wa Kilambo's song (KAzi ni Kazi) KUJENGA NYUMBA NI KAZI NGUMU KUBOMOA RAHISI AEE!

    Kukekucha is a 'drinking' hole for the like-minded and my WARNING to Chris is that this blog has outgrown him and he ceases to hold any 'VETO' right to make it partisan. He dares do that and he is FINISHED. The consequences are so grave that he won't dare. Darre you Chris?

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  6. I reserve my comments on this post by Ritch as well as on every single comment above mine.

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  7. As a bastion of free press, tolerance and open-mindedness to differing politiocal views, Chris does not have to announce whom he backs. It is this delicate balance that allows Kumekucha to thrive.

    All he has to do, one more time, is confirm and categorically state that he supports devolution/majimbo, distastes corruption and tribalism, does not support curtailing press freedoms and is open to new ideas of change. It is up to you chaps to determine which party, in very recent history, supports the direct opposite of what I have mentioned. That party is the one that Chris is against.

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