Kenya and East Africa Federation: Hazy Picture?

The presidents of the five countries that comprise the East African Community, have finished the much-awaited summit today, 20th of August 2007.

Among the issues they discussed during the one-day summit included the proposed fast tracking of the East African Federation and the creation of a Common Market.

Fast tracking the EAC federation, they said, was not in the best interest of the EAC citizenry, whose opinions were sought earlier this year about the proposed fast tracking.

In fact the fear rested, according to most of the respondents, in the ‘fact’ that the political ‘atmosphere’ in most of the countries in the community is seemingly ‘unstable’. Thus, going into a federation with such countries that have not set their houses in order would be tantamount to opening a can of worms that would, eventually, wend their way into the fabric of the other countries in the community.

Creation of a common market, the presidents said, would come in the year 2012.

The very idea of the creation of a common market has not gone down well with most people in East Africa. Most Tanzanians, for instance, fear the idea of a common market with ‘Kenya’ at the centre of the picture. They fear that the creation of such a market, which would mean the opening of the borders of the member countries to allow people to work, live and trade anywhere in East Africa, would mean Kenyans flocking into Tanzania. This would, basically, mean Kenyans taking up most of the virgin land, vast land that lies unused, in Tanzania. They also fear that Kenyans would take up their jobs for, as they say, Kenyans are ‘aggressive’ and are a people who rest at nothing till they get what they want. It is also a widely believed ‘notion’ in Tanzania that Kenyans are better educated than them. This, to me, is neither here nor there.

But, all said and done, we should ask ourselves some germane questions:
• Are we wasting our time here?
• Are we wool gathering "the East Africa Federation and common market" into focus or being "insensitively" realistic?
For, it seems, there are some quarters that are deliberately trying to stagnate matters here.

Mon Fils, Prend-Le Doucement: (Le SIDA Est Un Rodeur Rapace)

This is French for : My Son, Take it Slow: Aids is a Rapacious Prowler. I wrote the English version of the poem that you are going to read here shortly in November last year right here in this blog.

A certain lady in Ivory Coast, Betty Mande, after reading it, and having been touched to the core by the advice that the old lady in the poem gives to her grandson, decided to contact me. She asked for permission to translate it to French so that French speaking peoples in Africa (and the world over) could be reached by the “urgent” message (as she put it). I readily agreed.
Read the English Version Here.


Mon Fils, Prend-Le Doucement: (Le SIDA Est Un Rodeur Rapace)

Mon fils, je suis maintenant une vieille femme,
Je sens mes ancêtres me faire signe,
Mon coeur est penché et peureux !
Mon corps : vieux et fragile.

Dans les années, j’ai été au tour,
J’ai beaucoup appris concernant le monde,
Je sens le temps est prêt,
Pour partager avec vous mon arsenal.

Dans les mois recents, j’ étais entrain de vous regarder,
Vous regardant ardemment, regardant avec des yeux de tristesse,
Mes yeux n’avaient pas sommeillé dans ma veille,
Ma garde n’avait pas fondu en sentinelle.

Mon fils, j’ai peur de ce que je vois,
J’ai peur de ce que je rêve,
J’ai peur de ce que je vois dans tes yeux,
J’ai peur de ton ardeur et de ton courage.

Mon fils, j’ai peur,
Le plus je pense à ce que tu fais,
Le plus, je suis vieux que mon âge,
Le plus, le peuple commente sur ma vieillesse.

Ceux-ci sont les jours noirs, mon fils,
Jours où ton grand-pére et moi n’avaient jamais rêvé,
Jours comblés par l’obscurité,
Jours dont constament j’essaie de souhaiter loin.

Mon fils, ne t’ ennuie pas, tiens bon,
Je ne suis pas arrogant, sois-en sûr,
Ecoute-moi cette fois,
Ecoute l’ hésitation dans ma voix.

Ceci est le troisième mois depuis que j’ ai commencé ma vigile,
Mon fils, je vois les differentes dames à tes côtés chapue jour passant,
Les dames fabuleusement batues,
Dames au monde renversé te tiennent compagnie.

On t’appelle, ‘Monsieur Boss, l’ homme en mouvement’,
Merci aux énumerables partenaires sexuels que tu detiens,
Ceci est foux, mon fils,
Ça s’appelle sale injustice et malgloire.

Mon fils, veuxe-tu me voir aller à la tombe précossement ?
Veux-tu me laisser parler moi-même jusqu’ à la voix rauque ?
Veux-tu me laisser mouiller mon oreiller de larmes pendant des heures ?
Veux-tu que je te voies tomber comme de pierres à la carrière ?

Quand le SID A te souris, mon fils,
Il n’ y aura pas un retour en arrière,
Ça te mangera et te rongera jusqu’ à la moelle,
Ça te tournera de l’ exterieur – s’il te plait, épargne-moi de douleurs !

Je ne veux pas imaginer (mais c’est une part de maux nocturnes que je ne peux éviter),
Le plus élancé, beau garçon que je connais,
Reduisant à une regretable sculpture,
Une sculpture aux plaies, furoncles et cheveux tombant...

Mon fils, le SIDA est réel,
Ça rode le voisinage avec vengeance,
De grâce, assieds-toi et repense à ta conduite,
Une HIV libre génération commence par toi, mon fils.

Stifling Media Bill: Save Our Souls

The passing of the controversial Media Bill that has journalists and thousands of other Kenyans up in arms, has a sad ring to it. It is laced with the most potent concoction Kenya has seen in years: It is destined to kill true democracy.

A clause in the Media Bill forces journalists to divulge their source of information in the event that their stories ‘stir a court case’.

The Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.

Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty.

Part of the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) code of ethics (that is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals) states that:

Journalists should:

• Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
• Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrong doing.
• Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
• Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
• Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.
• Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.

And as a bottom line: A journalist should be vigilant and courageous about holding those in power accountable.

The purpose of journalism is to provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing. To fulfill this task, journalism’s first obligation is to the truth and its first loyalty is to the citizens. Period. This means that nothing should be allowed to come in-between.

The Bill states that journalists will be required to name the sources to their stories should the stories they write warrant a court case. This, to me, is tantamount to paralyzing and curtailing media activity. Why do I say this? Sources of information are the lifeblood of journalists whether working in print or broadcast industries.

Who would want to volunteer ‘sensitive information’ to the media knowing too well that they could be exposed to the public should someone find the story unflattering and drag the media outlet to court?

Does this mean, then, that the office of the ‘good old’ whistle-blower is in its death throes?