A mighty fire breaks out in a Nairobi slum on a chilly Monday morning. People are burning down to ashes and bones. Their meagre possessions are up in flames. There is utter helplessness. Rescue operations get underway but the death toll is rising. TV stations alternate between live transmission of the disaster and airing entertainment… Continue reading Coverage Fit for a Slum
A Better Picture of Women
A news item about women carried last week by a Christian news agency caught the attention of The Bulletin. It was titled, ‘Church holds women dearly, says Cardinal’: ‘The church will continue to support women in their religious activities, says Cardinal Njue. The church, he said, appreciates the important role played by women. “You can… Continue reading A Better Picture of Women
PLO’s last conference?
Wait, wait! Why did PLO Lumumba call that press conference last Monday? Why? The little politician inside him must have urged him on: keep the media excited. For no matter what else PLO says in his ‘big’ English, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission boss made it clear to the public that there is no fight in… Continue reading PLO’s last conference?
There are clear limits to media freedom
The recent concerns raised by the Media Council of Kenya about the Muliro Garden photos in the The Star newspaper point to a fundamental question on the issue of public interest and the respect for the code of conduct in media practice. Weeks after pictures surfaced online showing persons in intimate positions at the public… Continue reading There are clear limits to media freedom
Who wants to Harm Standard Political Writer?
Friday morning March 18 found The Standard senior political writer Juma Kwayera seated at his desk doing a story. He was busy interviewing a source by telephone when his mobile phone rang. The number looked vaguely familiar, but he ignored the call. After the interview, Kwayera called the number. The man who picked it up… Continue reading Who wants to Harm Standard Political Writer?
Rugged Priest – Film on Fr. Kaiser Turns Spotlight on Kenya’s Mucky Past
Veteran filmmaker Bob Njanja – the director of ‘Malloned’, hilarious TV shows ‘Churchill Live’ and ‘Redykyulass’ – has unleashed what is easily the boldest production in Kenya’s nascent movie industry. ‘The Rugged Priest’ is the story of the unresolved murder of the American Catholic missionary Fr Anthony Kaiser on August 24, 2000. With astonishing pictures,… Continue reading Rugged Priest – Film on Fr. Kaiser Turns Spotlight on Kenya’s Mucky Past
Poisoning the Masses
Why war on hate speech is hard to win. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission says last year it received two to three complaints a day about hate speech. Police, on the other hand, say they get more alerts. Following the recent heightened political activity surrounding prosecution of six Kenyans at the International Criminal Court… Continue reading Poisoning the Masses
Rwandan Women Talk About Rebuilding & Business
Thousands of women suffered immense violence during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and much of the country’s economy was destroyed. Rwandan women have played a large role in rebuilding the country, from the banks to the market to the country’s families and cultural institutions. Women launched the first funeral parlors in Rwanda, opened hotels and… Continue reading Rwandan Women Talk About Rebuilding & Business
What the Partition of Southern Sudan Mean Regionally?
As Southern Sudan waits the results of the referendum to decide whether it will cede from the north, there has been concern from African leaders about the process, including leaders in Libya and Egypt. Gadaffi has expressed concern that separation in Sudan could be contagious, and can spread across the African continent. This is ironic,… Continue reading What the Partition of Southern Sudan Mean Regionally?
Pentagon and U.S. Senator Eye Serious Bioterrorism Threats in East Africa
You may need a full pat-down to enter the Garden City shopping complex or the New Vision daily newspaper offices after terrorist attacks last July in Kampala. But unlocked refrigerators and vacant security points guard dangerous germs in Ugandan and Kenyan laboratories, the Pentagon witnessed on a current trip to East Africa. The Pentagon focused… Continue reading Pentagon and U.S. Senator Eye Serious Bioterrorism Threats in East Africa