NAIROBI: ACCUSSING THE PRESS: A VALGAR MEDIA OR A ROTTEN SOCIETY?

Nairobi –based journalist and blogger    Mr. Boniface Manyala

Photos of some men and women allegedly caught "in the act" at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega have been circulating on the internet for some time now. The first set of photos appeared on the social media, namely facebook and blogs last month, and recently another set-that has been described as "Muliro Gardens season two"- have been posted, as expected, on the net and sparked controversy.

During the period, the mainstream media has been cautious not to publish stories or the said pictures, of course to avoid abacklash from the public. What we have read in the papers have simply been single paragraph- sometime single line- comments appearing in the gossip sections of the mainstream newspapers until The Star decided to go "public" about the matter in its Tuesday 8th March.

The move by The Star has drawn condemnation from sections of the public including The Media Council of Kenya which is said to have been "appalled by a story appearing on page 3 of The Star newspaper" stating that "carrying this story in the newspaper offends common decency and family values that we want to believe in as a society."
The MCK accuses The Star "of blatant contravention of a number of articles in the Conduct for the Practice of Journalism in Kenya as entrenched in the Second Schedule of the Media Act 2007."
Kenyans are however of divided opinion regarding the photos and story in the newspaper attributed to "various websites including Walalahoi.ning.com"

Some Kenyans I spoke to thought the media is sometimes wrongly accused "even whenever they expose the rot in our society," says Peninah Nyawira, a communications student at Daystar University. "We can’t sit back and watch-as if nothing is happening- when our society is going to the dogs. We can’t afford to do that. I see nothing wrong in the publication of the said pictures or story after all they have been widely circulated on the internet," says Peninah.

On a google group online discussion forum, Robert Alai set the debate when he asked "The star has published our pictures. It is not bad, but people are asking if it is alright for a family paper to publish such pictures?"
Then the responses began to stream in. Matilda Atieno concurs with Peninah’s argument, "today sex is everywhere. No matter how much you hide it from the kids you will not succeed because the more you keep it from them the more curious they become. They end up looking for it in wrong places and once they learn about it you can never control them. So I say let it out."

While Rose Kagwira says, "I would advice whoever is affected to sue the one who took the photos and explain why they did it at that place. Let these guys come out in public. There is nothing they did that does not happen behind the curtains or on Koinange Street. Whoever feels he or she is holier than them should tell us. If you are sure sex is out of question in your life, then condemn them. Bure kabisa!" she concludes.
But Maurice Oduor shares an opposing view, hear him: "Those photos do not belong in a family newspaper. Whoever made that decision is misguided. I wouldn't want my 13 -year-old daughter or my 16 year-old son to see them."

Another discussant, Papa Likondi makes his contribution in a single line, "that is why I never read newspapers."
But there are those who blame it all the "level of journalism and media reporting in the country," Maryann Wanjiru notes "the standards [of journalism] has dropped to an all time low, can you imagine the real issues that affect Kenyans are not reported adequately for instance the high fuel prices and how it’s affecting a kawaida (common) Kenyan, real, serious and factual issues affecting us are hardly reported. But we get to see pictures of mature adults having sex,"

When the pictures first appeared on the net, Deputy Prime minister and Minister for Local Government Musalia Mudavadi called upon Western Kenya residents to ignore the pornographic photos of individuals allegedly having sex.

Mudavadi is quoted to have told West Fm that Western Kenya residents are "very religious who uphold the moral teachings of Christianity and Islam that abhors such activities in the public." The minister however read mischief in the intention of the photos posted just a few days before Prime Minister Raila Odinga held a rally at the said grounds.

So the question goes, is the press being accused for the rot in society –even when they [press] expose it?

In the Wr!te Direction...

Boniface Manyala

P.O.Box 45617-00100Tel 2223521,240488

NAIROBI.
Mob:+254-721 304941
b_manyala@yahoo.comhttp://watchingkenya.blogspot.com/