Whenever a Mugumo tree (sacred to the Agikuyu) falls, tongues wag with theories about hidden political meanings of the incident. A public figure would die. A regime could be coming to an end. But what might the oracles be signalling when a building collapses killing or injuring residents of one of the worst run cities on the Planet?
Nobody bothers to offer any deep interpretations. Perhaps there is nothing unusual about such a catastrophe. It happens often. It is normal. Only media people seem to think the collapse of a building in a Kenyan town is big news. And the politicians, who are quick to send messages of condolence or to visit the scene to appear concerned, shed crocodile tears and issue meaningless warnings and promises.
Citizen TV’s Yvonne Okwara has baptized them “disaster celebrities”.
And so it was that on Friday morning, December 6, a six-storey residential building collapsed into a heap of rubble in Tassia estate in Nairobi, killing seven and injuring scores of tenants.
As it has become the norm nowadays, the news broke on social media and then TV stations splashed the breaking news before launching live transmission of the rescue efforts.
That is bad TV, if you ask some people who have already complained angrily that the tube is full of bad news. For over a week the silver screens had been dominated by the news of death, destruction and displacement caused by torrential rains pounding the country (a very journalistic phrase), in addition to the “usual” murders of wives and girlfriends, suicides and other distressing stories.
Perhaps TV news bosses and their teams of reporters should take a break. Go take a dip in the sea and bask in the sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean while their stations run soap operas, play Christmas carols and broadcast certain shows that send the National Moral Cop rolling in the dust with rage.
But before Kenyans got bored to death with live TV reports of the Tassia disaster, a far better story broke – thank the heavens. Chief public prosecutor Noordin Haji announced the resumption of kamata-kamata Fridays. Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko had committed some very big sins and he should be arrested immediately, Haji told the nation.
There is something about Haji that is quite unnerving. He could announce the end of the universe with a matter-of-fact face. Calm. Even tones. Not a trace of emotion.
Shortly before midday, social media was lit up. Sonko had been nabbed. Now, whenever there is Sonko, drama is guaranteed. High drama. Just last week, a reporter recounted in a social media post how they had been listening to a governor drawl on and on in a sleepy press conference at a city hotel one morning when Sonko and his entourage made a grand entry. Everything suddenly changed. Drama.
Anyway, for a short while it wasn’t clear from media reports whether Sonko was caught fleeing on foot into a forest or he was asleep in a hotel or police officers found him seated in a matatu disguised as mama mboga going to the market.
K24 TV tweet: “Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been ARRESTED by detectives at a hotel in Tsavo, following orders by DPP Haji early this morning.”
Citizen TV tweet: “Sonko arrested in Voi while aboard SGR…Currently being flown to Nairobi.”
Oliver Mathenge (Digital editor, Star): “Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko arrested in Voi following orders by DPP Haji; he is being flown to Nairobi in a police chopper to face charges over the alleged loss of Sh357m at City Hall.”
KTN News Alerts: “Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been apprehended in Voi.”
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission did not make the matter any clearer: “@EACCKenya confirms that Nairobi City County Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi has been arrested while escaping arrest at a roadblock in Voi and is being transferred to Nairobi to face charges of corruption and economic crime.”
But was he caught inside a hotel, aboard the SGR, fleeing on foot or seated in a matatu? No matter. Within no time, the world was watching the drama of the arrest.
K24 posted a video with the caption: “Watch Sonko scream hysterically akin to someone in pain when he was being hand-cuffed in Voi, Taita Taveta, early Friday, Dec. 6.” Drama.
A Reuters report was titled, “Kenya arrests gold-loving Nairobi governor on suspicion of corruption”. The news agency told its international audience about Sonko’s “flamboyant lifestyle and flashy fashion, complete with ubiquitous chunky gold jewellery and eye-catching hairstyles.” Hapo sasa.
For a while, the collapsed building in Tassia was forgotten together with the likely message the gods might be sending to Nairobi.
Request: Could TV stations please serve their viewers such news daily instead of disasters? Thank you.
