Listers,
This is a clear violation of our constitution. The government unilaterally
and without a court order of any sort took 3 media houses off the air.
These are the type of moves I heard last being made only in times before I
was born. I’ve never been more disappointed in the CA and ministry of
Information than I am at this very moment. That the CS stood behind the
minister of Interior as he delivered one of the flimsiest justifications of
this BS shows that if he doesn’t agree with it he is at least complicit in
it.
If the media owners won’t go to court I hope that some other organisation
or person does take the government to court.
On 31 January 2018 at 16:35, Peter Wakaba via kictanet <
[email protected]> wrote:
> Let me give a bit of background on why media owners may be taking the
> quiet road on this one. After President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in in
> 2013, and thereafter he named his cabinet, the Ministry of information
> moved forward with an idea that had been floating around for a while. To
> streamline government spending on advertising and several associated areas
> under one body. Meant to create synergy through bulk and then save
> government money, the move saw government then channel all advertising
> cash through the Government Advertising Agency.
>
> Between January and April of 2016, this body billed just over a cool
> ksh.4B.
>
> Then they moved a step further and created the ‘My Gov’ pullout which
> initially ran in the two national dailies, plus the people and the star.
> Henceforth all government advertising apart from very critical adverts were
> channel into this project with the news being delivered by the Kenya News
> Agency. The ministry then pays one of the newspapers to print and
> distribute as a pullout.
>
> Needless to say, over this period, advertising revenue has shrunk
> dramatically to the point of crippling operations in some newsrooms. To
> turn the screws even further, the Ministry has then stopped printing and
> publishing this pullout regularly but is now doing so in ‘random’ fashion
> on a weekly basis in any of the said newspapers. The last I saw it was in
> the Star Newspaper.
>
> While no doubt the above move has helped with government austerity, the
> media is having to tighten its belt tighter every day. (Not that anyone
> owes us anything)
> From a team of ten just five years ago, I often have to work with just one
> person and maybe an intern to deliver hours of news. (and companies, like
> our are all looking to shrink their traditional businesses).
>
> When you mix the above issues with the general corporate governance issues
> that majority of the Kenyan economy faces, there is cause for worry. And
> while companies are indeed innovating in order to stay relevant, I daresay
> the level of attrition is way faster.
>
> Then through in lack of depth, lack of experience (because inexperience is
> easier to hire and pay) and the rise of fake news and you have a melting
> pot that should have everyone worried.
>
> And while I agree with Ali Hussein that our diligence will eventually pay
> off, I fear for the hordes of millennials who may not be as patient.
>
> In closing, very few companies are willing to take on Government, or even
> larger corporates like Safaricom anymore
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 4:35 PM, Grace Githaiga via kictanet <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>> @ Victor
>>
>> It is not clear if any of the media houses has taken legal action.
>> However, the media attended a press briefing this afternoon where they were
>> informed that the stations would “remain off air until the government has
>> completed investigations into the “swearing-in” of Opposition leader Raila
>> Odinga.”
>>
>> Read on: TV stations will remain shut until investigations end, says
>> Matiang’i
>> www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/01/31/tv-stations-will-
>> remain-shut-until-investigations-end-says-matiangi_c1706915
>>
>>
>> Video footage:VIDEO: 3 media houses to remain off-air until government
>> concludes investigations – Interior CS Fred Matiang’i
>> https://twitter.com/ntvkenya/status/958674927405580289
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>>
>> Githaiga, Grace
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wednesday, 31-01-2018 at 15:40 Victor Kapiyo via kictanet wrote:
>>
>> Has any media station gone to court on this?
>>
>> Or are they perhaps pursuing ADR methods to resolve the issue?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Victor Kapiyo*
>>
>> Partner | *Lawmark Partners LLP*
>>
>> Advocate of the High Court of Kenya,Commissioner for Oaths & Notary Public
>>
>> *Suite No. 8, Centro House, Westlands, Nairobi |**Web: www.lawmark.co.ke*
>> ====================================================
>>
>> *“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” Zig
>> Ziglar*
>>
>>
>> On 31 January 2018 at 14:53, Harry Delano via kictanet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Actually, Ali am equally outraged that am not seeing sufficient, copiou,
>> outpouring amounts of outrage from the mainstream media, or we being
>> hoodwinked..?
>>
>>
>> We seem to be the ones who look more outraged at this, strangely..!
>>
>>
>> Harry
>>
>>
>> On 31 Jan 2018 14:46, “Admin CampusCiti via kictanet” <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>> Kuwa mpole Ndugu. [image: :-)]
>>
>> *Ali Hussein*
>>
>> *Hussein & Associates*
>>
>> +254 0713 601113
>>
>>
>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>>
>> Skype: abu-jomo
>>
>> LinkedIn:http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>>
>> Blog:www.alyhussein.com
>>
>>
>> “Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking
>> what no one else has thought”. ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>
>> On 31 Jan 2018, at 1:50 PM, Kevin Kamonye via kictanet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Peter. I hope you wrote us this email while in a highly charged meeting
>> with your colleagues and those from the other houses as regards to how you
>> are going to march to both the CA and the MoICT to demand the restoration
>> of your transmissions and an explanation.
>>
>>
>> You just tell me where and when we are to start.
>>
>>
>> If not, I have no sympathy for you guys.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>> On 31 January 2018 at 11:53, Peter Wakaba via kictanet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Good morning,
>>
>>
>> My conundrum for the day.
>>
>>
>> I work for KTN NEWS
>> I had scheduled two interviews today afternoon.
>>
>> One on modern commercial large scale farming and another on T-vet
>> (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) and youth.
>>
>>
>> Being off air on most platforms and under government shutdown, one of my
>> interviewees, parastatal Chief, no less, has developed cold feet and
>> cancelled or postponed. He is not sure how to behave and whether his
>> turning up would be misconstrued. (Two weeks of work out of the window).
>>
>>
>>
>> My second interviewee, a focused and passionate lady PS. we have been
>> planning and cancelling for 3 months now. When I last got her into studio,
>> what was supposed to be a one hour insightful discussion was interrupted by
>> a presidential rally by the current President. She got just 3 minutes on TV
>> for her trouble and left veeeery angry.
>>
>>
>> After much haggling, we finally rescheduled. AND THEN YESTERDAY HAPPENED.
>> Despite the switch off her handlers insist we keep our end of the bargain.
>>
>> If I host her, will I still be ‘kow towing’ to the same government that
>> is trying to literally throttle my bread and butter ( if I may borrow from
>> two expressions).
>>
>>
>> For both them and I, there is a lacuna on how to behave in these
>> instances.
>>
>>
>> And yet, my audience still needs to be educated and entertained. Oh what
>> interesting times we live in.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 11:25 AM, Eric David via kictanet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> We are living a lie. The Channels are off. Who’s answerable?
>>
