Ngwatilo

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“Democracy is Expensive”

Business as usual did not prevent the violence that sprung up at the end of December 2007. Perhaps what University of Nairobi Student leadership require is some teaching on what non-violent demonstration entails, either from civil society or their own faculty. Such a course ought to teach how to prevent violent demonstrations carried in the name of “University Students”, because it is they that are ultimately responsible for that name.

It is stupidity to instead tell them not to demonstrate, in my opinion. They’ve already crossed that bridge many times over the years; it is their modus operandi. Actually, precisely because they are wont to protest every so often, we ought to have invested in steering their need for protest in more positive turns. This time around they said they wanted to do it peacefully, they received permission to do so. Did we help them achieve this? I would argue that giving them the opportunity and space to do so was only half the task.

My argument follows a simple premise, that by virtue of the fact that they are in University and in one of the more academically respected universities in the country at that, they are: 1) a people driven by reason – even the more intelligent among us; 2) they have already worked hard to be where they are and as such, they are committed to their education, to learning, to the social and economic development of themselves, their families and their communities, to the preservation and fulfillment of the desired “bright future” – in summary, university students are not hooligans.

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A Snapshot of Kenya in January 2009, before Obama’s inauguration

In these days leading up to Barack Obama’s inauguration, Kenyans have left the euphoria of November to reflect on the possibilities the Obama moment has brought for change in their particular lives. Concerned Kenyan Writers, an online collective of writers and scholars who came together during the 2007 post-election violence, have engaged in lively debates [...]

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Kibaki signs the “Media” bill, Media continues to play war.

I’ve just tried to watch the 9pm news tonight and mostly failed, the first twenty minutes went to the media bill, choreographed a little with an interview type session within the news talking about how draconian and evil the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill 2008 is. The guy being interviewed (will try to check who the [...]

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On the Record Dec 18 2008: Kathleen Openda’s Ugly with Minister Phogisio’s calm.

There was nothing professional about Kathleen Openda tonight; she was hosting “On The Record” – an NTV debate type of show. Her guests were Information Minister Phogisio, David Makali, the Chair of the Media Industry Committee and Former Kabete MP Paul Muite, I’m not sure what his angle is, but he’s been quite outspoken this [...]

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Dear Diary: Dec 15. Re: NTV News at 9

Dear Diary,
It’s 10 minutes into the news tonight, we’re still talking about the Media BIll. Oh, now they’re talking about the Nairobi Metro 2030. Apparently Kibaki and Raila were walking through town, launching the plan. Interesting.
Gosh darn, it was too good to be true. We’re back on the media bill. hm. Another angle; they’re talking [...]

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on children striking and their corresponding adults

Yesterday I paid some attention to the news on TV and noticed some councilors/politicians/whatever throwing chairs at each other. By the time i paid attention, police were in shooting teargas into the mayhem and people were pretending like they wanted to fight. I thought about the children doing similar things recently, playing with matches with [...]

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African Crises

I’m intrigued to note that the International Media blitz that accompanied Kenya’s 2008 crisis does not seem to replicate itself for the current break out in South Africa. A friend of mine, Rev. LaDonna Sanders is part of The Ubuntu project in South Africa. She wrote to her network of wellwishers in the US and [...]