Once in a long spell, a good story from the backwaters out here – for that’s how international media views Africa – gets world attention.
“The Kenyan factory that transformed into a surgical mask assembly line overnight,” said a beaming headline in the Washington Post April 8.
Just when editors in the West were all consumed in the coverage of Covid-19, a ruthless virus that has exposed shocking weaknesses in public health policies among even the best-run governments, this little success story from Kitui County leaped to the top of news.
It ran the week America was reeling under stories of shortages in medical supplies for hospitals and how, ironically, some States were turning to China for supplies; never mind that China reportedly gave the world this virus.
The story by Washington Post’s Nairobi bureau chief Max Bearak was glowing in its coverage. It quoted Governor Charity Ngilu, a former Health Cabinet Secretary, on her decision to order her Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) to churn out the much-needed face masks:
“We import everything and produce nothing, despite having all the resources at our disposal,” she said.
Within hours, the story was syndicated by or found different angles in other major news outlets, including MSNBC and Al Jazeera.
Some memorable comments by Washington Post readers:
“S**thole country – 1, Trump – 0” (US President Donald Trump once memorably referred that derogatively to African countries).
“Golly! Do you suppose here in the backwoods country [rural UK] we could ever hope to match the production capabilities of a small town in Kenya? Naaaaah.”
“WaPo has published articles recently lauding the tackling of Covid-19 related problems by [German Chancellor] Angela Merkel and [New Zealand Prime Minister] Jacinda Arden. Now comes this article about decisive action taken by Charity Ngilu. Either WaPo is cherry-picking its articles, or there are a lot of intelligent, focused and capable women out there. I’d put my money on the latter.”
But as usual, at least one naysayer would pop up:
“As around ½ of people in the photo [accompanying the story] are not wearing their masks appropriately, i.e., over their nose, I would assume these are not designed in the best way. At least a metal to close near the nose.”
To this, another reader’s comment followed promptly:
“Shut up!”
While Kitui was making international headlines, in Nairobi the Ministry of Health was playing catch-up.
“Government starts manufacturing mask and PPE to prevent Coronavirus,” said a statement posted April 3 on the Ministry of Health website, referring to the need for facemasks and personal protective equipment.
The statement said, in characteristic fashion, that Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina “disclosed” that Kenya had enough raw material for the country’s textile industry to make 60 million masks “with immediate effect.”
Yeah. We don’t know where anyone can make even one mask “with immediate effect”. A timeline would be helpful.
Oh, never mind. The American philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that if a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon or make a better mouse trap than his neighbors, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door.
Last week, Nairobi went to Kitui.
In a story titled, “Matiang’i says Kitui garment factory to get Sh200m boost,” the Daily Nation reported April 26 that the Interior Ministry pledged the millions, as grant, to help boost the Kitui factory’s capacity and stop overreliance on imported textiles.
Hold on!
When everyone is singing kumbaya, the ears of a good scribe should always perk up, like a dog that’s not sure if someone mentioned bones.
One day, a rearview mirror may show how this was when a good story started to go bad.
Who owns KICOTEC, this wonder garment factory that first came into the national limelight in 2018 for sewing the much mocked, new blue uniform for the Kenya Police?
Practically, all media stories about the factory allude to it being owned by Kitui County, which would make it a county-government parastatal of sorts.
If so, do taxpayers get the best value for their money when the government starts running a business? Or when the government develops smart, enabling policies and facilitates businesses?
