By Ghost Writer
Governor Simba Arati and his allies stage a huge event in Kisii town to prepare the ground for President Ruto’s visit. How does the Daily Nation report the news? This new formation [of kina Arati] is unifying the Gusii region under a development-driven agenda, while neutralising fragmentation within the region (March 19, p.8). Ok. Aligning with the President is framed as unifying under “a development-driven agenda” while anyone holding a divergent opinion is cast as “fragmentation within the region” that should be neutralised, you get?
Alafu: Mr Arati is at the centre of the emerging formation and is increasingly positioning himself as the region’s key political anchor, balancing local influence with national alignment. Daily Nation just anointed the Gusii kingpin.
Arati said the region must speak with one voice. The Daily Nation reporter, again, helpfully explained. The remarks highlight a broader strategy of linking Kisii’s political future to the national government’s development agenda, framing support for President Ruto as a choice for resource mobilisation and infrastructure growth, not just loyalty. Wueh! This is exactly the kind of journalism that leaves a governor smiling from ear to ear. Good job, clap, clap.
Brace for new speed limits in move to curb accidents (Star, March 19, p.9). Intro: Motorists across the country should brace for a new speed limit as the government ramps up efforts to curb a rising tide of road carnage. Here is a proposed intervention to save lives that is needlessly framed as negative. To brace oneself for something means to prepare for a difficult or unpleasant experience. What is “importanter” here, the freedom of motorists to zoom at break-neck speed or the need to curb road carnage?
M-Pesa to conceal senders’ phone digits to enhance pricacy, cut fraud (Star, March 19, p.11). Lion Place business scribes invented a new word, “pricacy”. Intro: Safaricom will mask customers’ telephone numbers in M-Pesa transactions in a new data minimisation feature. Sounds like it is meant to enhance privacy, lakini hatuko sure.
The government has moved in to quell the simmering tension between the Kenya Forest Service and the Friends of Karura Community Forest Association over the management of Karura Forest (Star, March 19, p.20). That is confusing civics. KFS is a government agency. So, which is this government that has “moved in” to mediate between the agency and a forest association?
Kenyans will no longer be enlisted in Russia’s Special Military Operation going forward (Standard, March 17, p.12). Special Military Operation is what Russia calls its war on Ukraine. Say so. And what is “going forward” doing here? If something is no longer going to happen, that means “going forward” doesn’t it?
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has begun the process of identifying victims of police brutality for compensation (Nation, March 17, p.2). KNCHR has begun identifying victims of police brutality for compensation. That implies “the process of”, doesn’t it? You don’t have to write that.
Headline: Rights agency starts identifying victims of police brutality. But whose photo was used for the story? That of Mr Javas Bigambo, the vice chairperson of the Committee on the Implementation of the 10-point Agenda, and not that of KNCHR chairperson Ms Claris Ogangah, who “said in Nairobi yesterday” and was widely quoted. Bigambo’s photo was taken at that event. Why was Ogangah’s photo not used?
