The year is 2030 but I remember
it as if it were yesterday. The day that Kenya as a nation put its foot on the
neck of tribalism, the day we gave new meaning to the words cohesion and integration
in relation to tribalism and divisive politics. It was a day that saw a united
front in the fight against tribalism, a day that brought an inter-agency approach
to a wasting culture that had eaten at many a society especially in Africa. In
Kenya all one had to do was hint at a conspiracy, prick our insecurities or
tickle our illusions of grandiose over our neighbors. And we would fill our
homes with whispers of the besieged, talks of historic injustice and songs of
triumph over imaginary foes. But on this
day the mainstream media fraternity, national cession and integration
commission and the office of public prosecution spoke with one voice.
These three institutions after a
week of intensive consultation called a major press conference that shook the
nation in its conclusive agenda, the finality of its recommendation and the
ultimatum issued to Kenyans. It emerged during this week of consultation that
if our televisions, radio and newspapers are the godfathers of tribalism, then
social media can be said to be the godmother, our politicians the fathers, our
intolerant past the mothers and our Kenyan youths the children of tribalism. That
tribalism was neither genetic nor divisive politics hereditary. We are not born
with our prejudices but we are born into it. We are born into discord, we learn
to crawl in the filth of intolerance, we take our first steps supported by the structures
of our tribal cocoons. So it’s not a surprise that the first words we learn to utter
are panga instead of papa and murder instead of mama. The best we know of our neighbors
culture goes no further than the negative and unfounded stereotypical
accusations. Enslaved by ghostly masters of fear and hate. Though we are not
really sure why we ought to fear or hate each other any more, we carry on, we
slave away, under burdens we might as well put down.
Mainstream media was singled out
for its inherent property of mass communication and ability to shape attitudes.
In a world of tribalism, mainstream media can be said to be the bomb that kills
thousands and the best that social media can be in comparison is a machine gun
and this is when it is wielded by someone of influence in the social media
scene . Otherwise social media is nothing more than a pistol in a bomb fight.
Mainstream media can reach millions in a single information relay while a tweet
or facebook update is being consumed by a few thousand. A news item by
mainstream media has already been repeated through word of mouth by millions before
it has reached trending status on social media. Information through mainstream
media is also automatically believed as gospel truth across different divides while
information on social media is as believable as the clout behind the individual
sharing the message. Its only mainstream media that can run a hateful message
communicated to a few hundred people in a village baraza at one corner of the country and spread it to millions of
people across the entire country in a matter of minutes.
The blame game and hiding behind
shifting posts had to stop. We could blame politicians all we want but it’s the
media that amplified their mediocrity and clothed their selfish ambitions as
news items. We could form all the commission of cohesion and integration but
without responsible use of mediums of mass communication, we would be fighting
a losing battle. So in this press conference an ultimatum was issued. A seven
day ultimatum for all hostility to stop, yes we did not need a lifetime to tolerate
each other. These seven days would be enough to pass a law in parliament to give
national cohesion and integration commission power s of prosecution. This
period also allowed the NCIC time to rally support for the changes that they
planned to institute.
At the press conference
mainstream media announced that they would from now on actively sensor
intolerant, tribally insensitive and provocative words or speeches on the
airwaves. In one case they would do so just the same as they would sensor
sexually explicit words and in extreme cases they would sensor a whole speech
by a politician. In its stead they would issue a public statement saying that they
viewed the expression of the said politician provocative and therefore could
not air it. They would then broadcast that they have forwarded the provocative message
to NCIC for prosecution. So instead of a politician rogue expressions being aired,
their misbehavior would be highlighted and shamed instead.
In the same spirit of reigning
down on anti-cohesion and integration conduct, the judiciary made plans to constitute
special courts to handle cases related to cohesion and integration offenses. The
judiciary also made the necessary changes that would see video and audio
evidence admissible in court as well as screen shots from social media sites. They
would be enough to sustain a conviction without additional supporting evidence.
Other changes included the recruitment of active social media marshals under NCIC.
They were to monitor social media and form a proactive presence on the internet
where the public can reach them to report on any offenses occurring on social
media. The social media marshals in conjunction with the judiciary,
communication authority of Kenya (CAK) and police would be able to suspend within
24rs, phone lines, modems and other IP domains used to share and post tribally
abusive internet data , the suspension could last for as long as one year.
Suspensions would also extend to banning the name and ID number of those behind
such offenses from owning or registering any phone line, modem or online
communication line. Anyone found knowingly offering or hosting these offenders activities
on their lines would stand to receive the same banning.
The commission also developed and
publicized a cohesion and integration offenses matrix so that the public,
politicians, the media etc would know what was considered an offense. The
matrix drew a clear line between right and wrong and provided an undisputed reference
when judging offenses. It is in reference to this matrix and the seven days
ultimatum that saw the president himself lead the nation in committing to abide
under this matrix and signing it on behalf of the Kenyan public as well. The signing
by the president to abide by the cohesion and integration offenses matrix laid the
precedence for all political leaders to do just the same. The president was
followed by another publicized signing ceremony of the deputy president
accompanied by the official leader of the opposition. The so called political enmity
between these two in the public arena made this signing ceremony quite
exceptional and symbolic in burying the proverbial hatchet. These leading
political leaders were followed by governors, senators, members of parliament
and members of the county assemblies. The signatures opened up the politicians
for prosecution if they contravened the cohesion and integration offenses matrix.
The media, judiciary and the police signed as well and committed themselves to
play their part in documenting evidence, arrest of offenders irrespective of their
station and prosecution of offenders.
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