I am always talking to ordinary folk on the ground and I can confirm that there is a feeling of outrage amongst most across the country over what they see as their government keeping information from them.
One man told this blogger that the Kenyan government is treating its' citizens like children. He wondered why a government should keep information from its' citizens on such a crucial national issue that involved everybody's security.
This approach has also been strongly criticized by foreign journalists who have had a very frustrating time trying to get information to file stories back to their home countries on a story that has led the attention of the world.
I talk about the reasons for this attitude in my special report on the issue titled Horror at Westgate but the bottom line is that Kenya was at war (or is still at war because Al Shabab sources insist that it is not over) and in such a situation information from the war front has to be spun (sometimes into outright lies and propaganda) as part of the war effort and strategy. This is something that happens the world over.
I have compiled a special report that I am giving away for FREE titled Horror at Westgate. I recommend that those with relatives still held as hostages at the Westgate Mall should NOT read this special report. Trust me I have very good reasons. The report contains all the graphic images and photographs that the media has avoided carrying and which give a true picture of exactly what happened on black Saturday. This was an extremely bloody and brutal attack, more than what most Kenyans imagine. The special report also gives an insight into those involved including detailed analysis from experts on how this siege will most probably end. It also includes details of an attempted rescue attempt yesterday and the resulting casualties.
I am giving away the special report for FREE. Get details now.
Jubilee= Chaos, sadness, evil, corruption, tribalism, Nepotism, Hague ICC, Terrorism
ReplyDeleteFirst of all may the souls of all our Kenyan sisters and brothers and guests who perished at Westgate Mall last Saturday and while undergoing emergency treatment at various medical facilities in Nairobi REST IN ENTERNAL PEACE.
ReplyDeleteBy all accounts the concerns, frustrations and even anger by most people over the economy of words or zero (minimal) release of information by the government is understandable so.
However, given the notorious use and misuse of bits and bits of vital information during a time of national crisis, brutal attacks, or terrorist attacks as was the deadly case at Westgate in Nairobi, information becomes a very powerful tool and critical weapon when it comes to issues of command and control in terms of managing and regulating operations at ground zero, in this case call it the epicenter center - Westgate Mall.
As questions continue to linger in terms of the WHO, WHERE, WHY, and WHAT the HELL really happened during the Killing Spree at Westgate, some of us need and must understand that any release or sharing of real time information would have only plaid into the hands of the enemies of the state and public enemies at the time.
Foreign journalists are who they are and what they have always been in times of any national crisis, where by they fly into the country at a moments notice for the express purpose of serving the specific corporate and political interests of the entities they represent or picks up their tab.
As a matter of fact, the so called foreign journalists - press - and their mother media houses in Europe and North America seemed to have been over flouting the views and threads issued by terrorists and their handlers by way of repeating releases from their tweets, feeders and other sources, while at the same time paying lip service to any immediate concerns and other sensitive issues that may have adversely affected the security operations at Westgate Mall.
It's understandable where the concerns of Chris and others are coming from, but there are those of us who felt that the foreign press - fly-by-nighters - as vital and essential as they are or might be in such deadly situations, seemed only to have been giving the attackers and their handlers more free promotion and helping their demonic careers and evil agendas during the Westgate Mall crisis.
They seemed to be more interested in meeting their deadlines or being the first to break the usual media record in terms of feeding thirst and hunger under the menu Breaking News in the attempts to the boost ratings of their mother media houses in Europe and North America.
Lest we forget, they - foreign journalists - have been busy parking their gears leaving Westgate Mall area in herds and packs heading out of the country via JKIA, all in the search and hopes the next hot spot, and who can blame them for keeping the wheels of worldwide shocking news rolling, spinning and operating 24/7.
Free access to information if very vital but at times it should be on a need to know basis only.
That is my three cents in more than four million words.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteTweeter is now the world wide official bulletin board, and you must have seen and heard it a became a tool for propaganda and self-glorification during the fifteen minutes of inglorious fame for the handlers of the attackers, who were reported to have using the grammar and idioms from somewhere in London.
Kenyan officials must have picked some essential operational lessons and methods of how to deal with local journalists as well as handle foreign journalists in time of national crisis from their counterparts in Tunisia during the raid and hostage taking at one of the country's oil fields in the middle of the barren desert.
Fortunately, the criminal and terrorist incident led to the extinction of the ninth life of the mastermind of the attack, the so-called "desert fox" aka Khalil - sungura mjanja jangwani.
Every desert rabbit has its day in the bright morning or afternoon sunlight, or at times under the night skies when the moon is busy rotating on it generous axis.
Time will tell when the responsible khalili from the semi arid areas beyond the country's northern borders meets his match by way of the eagle's claws, scorpion's sting, wolves' teeth or poisoned chalice.