President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto (right) test-drive
one of the newly leased police vehicles at Uhuru Park on November 7,
2013. Kenya has raised an alarm that more than 1.6 million people may
require urgent food aid. Photo/ JEFF ANGOT
At this rate, we may as well reopen Nyayo House.
Let’s be honest, people – this media law is some bullshit.
We all know the story by now, unless you live in a hole deep, dark and far away.
A handful of MPs took it upon themselves to gag the media.
Though they were a tiny percentage of the people who supposedly represent us, this law was still passed.
The problem with Kenya is that this could be for any number of reasons.
Macharia
Gaitho, in his opinion piece yesterday, said that there were two
warring factions – those who believe that the media is the reason Raila
was not declared president, and those who say that these guys should be
stifled because they are ignoring the true president (Kenyatta).
(And he made a good point – how the hell did that nonsense get past the AG?)
In addition, they say that the media deserve the bill because they hopped into bed with Jubilee at the quickest opportunity.
It
could be that one MP has a grudge against an article written this year
and decided the time had come to even the score, so he got his 20 - odd
cronies in his corner.
Or maybe they were drunk, following the footsteps of a few rumoured soldiers.
But this is not the point.
It does not matter who won.
It does not matter why Raila isn’t president and Uhuru is.
It doesn’t even matter if you think that the media sold their soul like a Judas for a pretty penny.
What matters here is the fundamental truth that democracies are built on – freedom of speech.
How is one supposed to point out ills of society if one is going to end up charred and skinned?
What is the point of a media run by a government?
Are
we going to go back to the days when news will consist of what Uhuru
did in which children’s home, as opposed to the real issues?
Granted, the media has its flaws. Granted, some people take gross advantage of freedom of speech.
But that is what the Media Council of Kenya is for. Should they close down shop now?
Wouldn’t you rather have freedom of speech than no freedom to speak at all?
How are we to survive in such a Draconian, archaic environment?
What is next, and how close are we getting to Cuba?
What next? The Executive monitoring the independent judiciary and slapping judges on the wrist?
The MPs who made this law obviously have no understanding of the term democracy, or the basic idea behind the fourth estate.
Hopefully, our president’s expensive education will pay off and he will see the smelly bill for what it really is.
Unless, of course, he is on their side.
I’ll
stop here, lest the president signs off on our fates and I’m thrown
into a torture chamber for – gasp! – speaking the truth.
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