So, KTN reports that Western Kenya MCAs demanded up to Sh300,000 on top of the Sh2 million car grant to support BBI bill.
But days later, the MCAs deny the claims. So who is telling the truth?
From the news clip, nothing was mentioned about the cash demand. The reporter did not give us a voice on the supposed cash demand.
So, the MCAs have every right to ask KTN: “Olisikia wapi?”
In Baringo, the MCAs decide to convert the assembly into a boxing ring during debate on the Building Bridges Initiative bill.
In a strange case of multi-tasking, they still manage to vote amid the punching and pushing and pulling and clouds of tear gas.
The Nays have it, or so the Speaker announces above the chaos. The following day, two national newspapers report the vote.
One proclaims that Baringo county assembly has rejected the BBI bill; another dwells on the punching and pushing, blaming those against the BBI for the furore, and barely hiding the fact that it supported one side.
This is fine. It is perfectly understandable when two media houses take different angles on the same story. But it raises eyebrows when a media house displays partisanship when reporting on a matter that touches on the media owner.
Yes, media owners have a big stake in the media that they control. But media’s greatest loyalty must be to truth, not to media owners and shareholders.
Sadly, this is not the case in the present media set-up in Kenya and, beneath the veneer of media freedom, media owners and shareholders have the journalists and media managers that they hire firmly by the gonads.
*****
It’s Tuesday on Pastor Kanyari’s Shifu TV. Today’s offering is Sh100 for a blessing.
“Mia ni nini? (What is a hundred shillings?)” cajoles Pastor Kanyari dressed in a yellow hood.
For one hundred, he promises to prophesy for you. “God is telling me that something is happening in your life…”
The prophecies range from love life to business and witchcraft, all for Sh100. To keep the money coming, the man of god proclaims he is all-seeing.
“I can see six people who have the Sh100 and are reluctant to give. I command you in Jesus name. I command you to give up that sh100,” he orders.
To justify today’s offering he reminds his audience that bars and clubs open and receive money every day, and no one complains.
He further argues that popular musicians have big houses and no one complains, but when a man of God buys a car, everyone complains.
“It is the devil at work,” Kanyari says, “and keep sending the Sh100.”
Now, a hundred shillings may look like nothing to the man of God, but if 1,000 people believe in his prophecies and send the money, the man of God just pocketed Sh100, 000 for a few minutes’ mouth-work. That’s a cool Sh1 million in 10 days.
And as he reads names of people who sent the day’s offering – mia moja tu – Kanyari takes the game an inch higher: “If you have Sh50 on top, send it and get double blessing.”
“Fifty bob ni pesa kidogo sana,” he says. Sounds like a mitush seller on River Road.
Just before saying the final prayer, Pastor Kanyari lowers the price of his blessing further: “Now you can send Sh30 and be part of the final blessing.”
“Thirty bob tu.”
Well, whoever said kidogo kidogo hujaza kibaba must have had Pastor Kanyari in mind – only we are not talking kibaba here, maybe a drum.
Before signing off, the man of God signals for a clip on what he calls ‘a testimony, and which turns out to be a woman rambling about how her husband is having affairs and so on and so forth.
Pastor Kanyari immediately diagnoses witchcraft, which he promises to exorcise by cleaning the woman’s hands and feet with holy water.
Now, water seems to be the only expense that the man of God incurs on his TV today, after pocketing several thousands of shillings, all in a day’s work.
Someone take this TV station down. Or God will.
