We are at a point where every Kenyan should get on the calls for Energy Justice through the SwitchOffKPLC but the media has not been kind to the new activists. Looted and struggling KPLC is painted as the victim while the names of the activists is blacked out in places where they've won
Friday afternoon, mainstream media reported that Activist Okiya Omtatah has moved to court to have the 2021/2022 Budget revoked for exceeding limit set by parliament.
Okiya Omtatah is doing a good work, and it is easier for all mainstream media, i.e. Nation Media Group, Standard Group, Royal Media Services and Media Max to shout out his name.
What is however not easy is to write the other activists’ name; those who sometimes accompany Mr Omtatah or others who fight other injustices through petitions.
For starters, Okiyah Omtatah filed the petition with Wanjeri Nderu, say her name.
Wanjeri Nderu is a human rights activist. She was also involved in the SwitchOffKPLC petition Jerotich Seii, Social activist
In the censorship of the young or new activists, NMG and Standard Group are the most notorious. Harboring old and bitter editors, these Methuselah’s feel jealous writing the names such as Jerotich Seii, Wanjeri Nderu, Cyprian Nyakundi and others in the petitions they have filed or won.
Struggling Standard Group is particularly infamous for downplaying gains made by young petitioners. The Daniel Moi hangover still hovers around here. Article 37 of the constitution Article 37 of the Constitution gives every Kenyan the right to peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.
New activists have however been blacked out, their stories in court make headlines but their names curiously miss in the articles.
It is as if the judges walk in court, make decisions without any petitions. This is how it looks when names of petitioners re blacked out.
Jerotich Seii for example has been on the forefront in fighting for energy justice, the media has given her wins a wide berth.
The SwitchOffKPLC has raised pertinent issues on what is wrong with KPLC; the high bills, extortion through metre reading where bills are guessed, forcing some Kenyans to take loans to pay their bills.
The media has increasingly covered the SwitchOffKPLC with bias towards government, painting KPLC as the victim. This is their other tactic if they have to mention names. Wanjeri Nderu, human rights activist
Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi has won several cases against him. All of them very important on the freedom of speech and justice for Kenyans.
Two key cases, the first where the blogger petitioned on accounts of constitutionality of Section 84D of the Kenya Information and Communication Act (KICA) in which Justice Wilfrida Okwany declared unconstitutional.
Section 84D of KICA Act made publishing of obscene information in electronic form an offence.
After the court case, Cyprian and any other Kenyan cannot be charged in a court of law for content they publish on electronic platforms under the specific section of the KICA Act.
Search and see if Standard Group or NMG published this in the right context.
The second case is the one in which Justice Weldon Korir declared Section 66 of the Penal Code unconstitutional.
The code criminalizes the publishing of ‘alarming publications’ that are likely to cause panic and fear. PETITION: Cyprian Andama v Director of Public Prosecution & another; Article 19 East Africa (Interested Party) [2019] Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi had moved to court to challenge the constitution after the prosecution pressed criminal charges against him for publishing an alarming publication.
Search if Standard Group even attempted to write a proper article about this.
Dishonest journalism!
We need more youths to take up the mantle of activism and keep the government and institutions in check.
There’s so much work to be done.
Article 37 of the Constitution gives every Kenyan the right to peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.