2/3 gender bill sent back to the sender

2/3 gender bill sent back to the sender

By MUSYOKA NGUI

Sometimes things become clichés. I followed the national assembly debate about gender bill and it was eventually shelved because they failed to make the 233 required numbers to implement it.

The Constitution 2010 passed and 2/3 gender representation should be implemented not from 2019 February but from 2010. Women are the majority in the society and ironically, they are the minority in decision making table.

But what I found curious was the blanket provision that the 2/3 gender representation should be implemented for women just because they are women. Aren’t men also locked out in some social spheres that require 2/3 gender rule implementation?

REWARDING CRONIES, SURROGATES

Feminists were up in arms protesting that 2/3 gender rule was long overdue and rightly so. But why create nominated slots to reward cronies, surrogates and yes persons and in some instances spanner persons bordering on nepotism, elitism and cronyism?

True, both houses of parliament require to observe the 2/3 gender rule but why reserve that for political parties to share the slots according to their number of seats they have in the parliament?

What you see is not what you get. Beyond the posturing, rhetoric and lies is the real cost. At whose cost will the new seats be implemented? Isn’t what a man can do a woman able to do too? Other than the genetic and biological functions, all games should start at 0, 0. Why start a match that is already 5, 0 and expect fair play?

Not just political representation that should be addressed. If the debate is honest and devoid of ill motive, there is need for observing the 2/3 gender rule in both selected and elected positions. Competence and qualification should drive the recruitment of Kenyans in implementation of 2/3 gender rule.

MISOGYNISTS, CHAUVINISTS

Male MPs have been blamed for being misogynists and chauvinists but why reserve a seat for women for the mere quality that she is a woman and why occupy a seat just because you are a woman? Especially when such seats are designed to be sat on by "slay queens" and other unkind titles, they fight gender equality reforms. Truth is, there are women who have earned their titles and places in society in a fair and square way not just because they are corruptly related to a political kingpin.

CHECK CORRUPTION

The national assembly, in my view, redeemed their image about being honorable. Cartoonists on national dailies have regularity drawn caricatures of pigs to represent MPs- both male and female. But it’s worth noting that MPs stood up to the Executive and pushed back the pressure to pass 2/3 gender bill for the sake of passing the bill. RAO, WSR, SKM, UMK had all whipped their troops to vote for the 2/3 gender bill. But Majority Leader Aden Duale had to shelf the bill for lack of quorum lest it gets a thundering defeat on the floor of parliament.

The real thing is much as they are under pressure to reward loyalty and leave a “legacy”, that energy being wasted in gender bill should be used in checking corruption. That is the issue that Kenyans can get a direct benefit from not a bill aimed at rewarding cronies and slapping wananchi with exorbitant invoices.

To Duale, send the gender bill back to the sender. See you in February 2019

What to share with the world-and what not to share

What to share with the world-and what not to share

By MUSYOKA NGUI

Being a social media resident, I am exposed to trends as they happen. I don’t have to wait for nine o’clock news to know what’s going on. Breaking news unfold before media gatekeepers share. What they want you to see is totally different from what has happened.

Be that as it may, my post today is about what to share with the world-and what not to share.

CONSENT

One, private information should be kept off social media. Private in the sense that once you share certain information, you expose yourself to con artists and thieves masquerading as your friends. Other private information you ought to respect is sharing personal material without the consent of the person in the photo. Of course, we in the media are branded paparazzi for shooting too often and crossing the line. But here I mean, for instance, unless it’s a material weighed by public interest, don’t portray private information without the consent of an adult in the photo. A parent allows consent for their children to be taken photos. If they haven’t nodded, keep off.

Obtain consent from a person even if they are your friend or family and if they say no, respect their view. Adding a person to a WhatsApp group without briefing them about what the group is about and its agenda is wrong. Having your friend’s number doesn’t guarantee you permission to add them to a group just because you are an admin and thinking your ego will be okay since you believe you’re the new sheriff in town.

BE YOU

Be natural. Don’t over-edit the photo you post on social media until people start wondering if that is you in the photo. Just invest in a good smartphone. Good in the sense that it has excellent megapixels for the selfie. 16 to 25 MP is enough to get a good selfie. Avoid blurred and shady backgrounds. Be you.

When taking a photo, ensure there is adequate light. Natural light from the sun is enough to illuminate your fundamentals and get the point home. Focus on the face, if you are taking a selfie, the shirt/blouse/top etc. in a conservative society, they have a habit of being holier than thou. Let them talk. Don’t gag anyone. Better bad publicity than no publicity at all. Tag your kind. People who can share to their many followers and give you free publicity. Keep off people who are critical to your thought.

NUDITY

Social media has been rife with youths showing their asses, boobs, thighs even nudity.  Respect your parents, at least. If you don’t, block them from your social circles. But the world being such a tiny globe, word will go round till the person you blocked knows what you shared and you are condemned since you deserve condemnation anyway.

Advertisers, employers and buyers run through your social media account to research your persona. Don’t burn your CV trying to impress strangers on social media. Common decency dictates your conduct. Let it.

3 ways to shun fake news

3 ways to shun fake news

BY MUSYOKA NGUI

Today I will address the phenomenon of fake news in media.  Media personnel get criticised for covering events and news in a biased manner. Sometimes, they are interested parties in the news they cover. Sometimes they are not.

When the journalist is an interested party in the story, they should state clearly and from the outset. Sometimes the caveat is emptied by intelligent readers who point fingers that this reporter is leaning to that side. This damages reputation of the journalist. One act of misrepresentation of facts and unprofessional conduct can ruin years of reputation in the media and a lot of hard work goes to waste. Sometimes this happens in seconds while other times it’s a matter of what will go wrong will go wrong no matter how many times the reporter is called out by his/her supervisor.

The media have a unique privilege to sit on the fence and watch society act without taking sides. But when journalists take sides, the situation is antagonized and for most part, the work of the journalist goes to waste.

NEWS SOURCE

To counter fake news, the audience has to check a few points I’ll highlight here. First, check the source. Is the source credible or it isn’t? News must be supported by credible sources that can be verified if the need for verification comes up. That is why journalists must have enough back up. This could be tape recordings, audio, visual or pictorial. Reporters everywhere must have enough memory that backs up evidence to support their stories.

Some news sources say “I didn’t say that”, or like Shaggy, “it wasn’t me”. That’s the time for the reporter to replay their supporting news clip, photo or other form of evidence in place. Sometimes, like today, journalist are sued, they might end up paying a lot of money for defamation for lies made against them by malicious sources. That’s the time that one’s backup comes up to save the reporter.

Does the news source have authority to convey the statements that the source wants the media to run? As a matter of courtesy, reporters ought to get clearances from the managers, supervisors and heads of institutions they cover. Of course, this is after public interest is considered. Public interest override the cover story the managers of institutions want the media to run. Don’t quote an insider and the insider loses their job for being unauthorised persons to comment on office matters.

MEDIA OWNER

Second, in order to verify the authenticity of news you read, ensure that you know the sponsor, donor and/or owner. Some reporters don’t cover their donors when they commit bad news. They turn a blind eye. This is the time for audience to shun news organizations and reporters who turn a blind eye on their organizations who commit sins to the public and the reporters know and don’t speak out. State media are known to do PR and run State’s cover stories and shun hard news that are of concern to civilians. Issues like public services, public resources and matters that affect the citizens directly should be given priority. These include use of government revenue, facilities and service to civilians by persons paid by government to serve the public. Let’s face it, the citizens run the government. Government doesn’t perform charity or gifting to loyal citizens. Even dissidents pay taxes and deserve quality services just as yes men and yes women who support the government.

Some media are known to support or/and oppose government. That in mind, the public should compare news media and adopt the objective media not the subjective ones. Media is not activism. Media is not PR. Media has ethics and code of conduct that must be followed and those who don’t should ship out. Like Njoki Chege opined last Saturday in Daily Nation, the audience are intelligent enough to read the news and form an opinion for or against the news and the reporter.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Do your homework. A reporter should be able and willing to check archives and history to read the nature of the story and understand what they are dealing with. Sources will lie to you. Sources will peddle their propaganda and agenda via your news organization. Don’t accept to be the conduit. When you are told that the paint is wet, touch and confirm first before writing. Let news sources earn your trust and double check prominent spin doctors and liars.

Above everything, be honest. Honesty is the best policy. Treat others how you would like to be treated and don’t abuse your position. If they kick you out, at least ensure that you delivered your duty and understand that no one is irreplaceable.  Don’t be the conduit of fake news.