Why implosion in ODM is set to be a full-scale war (People Daily, January 26, p.4). Everyone understands the Orange party is in turmoil after the death of The Owner of The Earth, His Earthquakeness Agwambo. But will the infighting escalate into a “full-scale war”? That means real blood and tears, massive deaths and destruction. Not at all, thank God. Hyperbole has its place but journalism remains factual, and a good writer knows this.
Vicious war for soul and heart of the Orange party after Raila demise (People Daily, January 26, p.6). The “war”, again. Intro: In Kisumu, the air is heavy. The winds from Lake Victoria usually soothe the city, but this time they carry whispers of betrayal and ambition. Next: The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), once the most formidable opposition machine in East Africa, is cracking. Ahem, why is the setting of this ODM “war” in Kisumu and Lake Victoria? Are readers supposed to understand that is the party’s home? Story doesn’t say.
Mandago, Bii renews [renew] political warpath ahead of 2027 elections (People Daily, January 28, p.3). Still fixated on “war”. There is nothing like “renew warpath”. The fixed phrase is someone is “on the warpath”, meaning angry and ready for confrontation.
Six day schools in Murang’a County are yet to enroll a single Grade 10 learner two weeks after the admission window commenced (People Daily, January 26, p.2). Er, “admission window” is a metaphor referring to a restricted period for reporting of new learners. Now, windows, whether real or figurative, don’t “commence”. They open or are opened, you get?
Chrispinus Wekesa is a Kenya Prisons Service who hails from Mabusi village, Kanduyi constituency, Bungoma County, but stationed at Kakamega GK Prison (People Daily, January 26, p.3). How is Wekesa “a Kenya Prisons Service”?
Like major towns across the country, the generation of domestic solid waste continues to pose environmental and health challenges (People Daily, January 27, p.2). What is the meaning of this sentence? What is “like major towns across the country”? What is being compared to major towns here?
How decisive missteps tarnish Ruto’s regime (People Daily, January 27, p.4). That is an oxymoron right there. Oya, ndugu, the adjective “decisive” means firm, determined, effective, strong-willed and other positive qualities that can’t be yoked together with “missteps” and “tarnish”.
“They told her they do not kill women and demanded to know where the male teachers were. Under duress, she revealed the truth,” Ms Musili and his colleagues told the Nation. Funny punctuation. The attribution suggests Ms Musili and the colleagues uttered in unison the exact words between quotation marks, which is simply not possible.
