Is 'The EastAfrican' on a
Hate Campaign
Against Uhuru?
I
HAVE been reading The EastAfrican since its inception in 1994, and I have
always respected it as a serious paper. But over the past few weeks, I have
developed second thoughts about it.
I have been wondering whether it is
degenerating into another "yellow paper," or whether it has become a wing of the
opposition National Rainbow Coalition. If yes, why didn't the paper prepare me
as a reader, so that if I do not support Rainbow then I don't feel
cheated?
Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong
with a newspaper supporting a certain ideological position, for any newspaper
espouses certain values. Again, there is nothing wrong in any paper criticising
a candidate. But then there is a big difference between supporting values or
criticising a candidate and waging hate campaigns against individuals and
political parties.
The last three editions of The
EastAfrican leave no doubt in the mind of the reader that the paper is
prosecuting a campaign against Uhuru Kenyatta, Kanu's presidential candidate.
For the first time in a long time, I agree with President Moi when he accuses
sections of Kenya's press of bias. Indeed, the tone of this paper's campaign
gives serious cause for concern.
What is this coincidence that when
the lead story is not linking Uhuru with weird and backward sects, it's about
fictitious divisions in the Kenyatta family or Uhuru's campaign team. Plainly
speaking, this is petty political gossip. As a serious reader, I deserve better
than this. If I want political gossip, the alternative press serves me
better.
FIDELIS KINTU
Nairobi
