East African writers attend CHOGM

Where have all the writers gone?

By Otieno Amisi

East African writers, publishers and scholars gathered in Kampala late last month. They drew attention to the art of creative writing and literary criticism. The meeting, dubbed The People’s Forum, was held in Kampala between November 18 – 25 this year.

It was the largest such gathering of literary critics, writers and publishers from across East Africa.

Two sad events have recently brought literary studies to the fore in recent weeks. The first was the death of Dr Taitta Towett late last month. Another has been the news of the death of renowned Nigerian writer Cyprian Ekwensi. Prof Chris Wanjala, a literary scholar at the University of Nairobi who also runs the popular KBC radio programme Literary Giants, says participants to the Kampala event have been invited from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi Wanjala is East Africa’s leading literary critic and chairman of the East Africa Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language studies. Cyprian Ekwensi, 86, was one of Africa’s veteran novelists.

He was also a pharmacist and public commentator. The author of the popular Jagua Nana series of novels died at the Niger Foundation hospital on 5th November in Enugu where he underwent an operation for an undisclosed ailment. Initial reports were not clear if he died during or after the operation. Ekwensi’s latest contribution to the literary world was Cash on Delivery, a collection of short stories. Last year the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) feted him.

Ekwensi was celebrated as the forefather of the city novel. He is believed to be the author of the earliest published fiction on social life in the Lagos Metropolis. The novelist will be remembered for his down-to-earth style of writing and his appeal to young reders. He had over 20 novels and short stories to his credit, including People of the City, Burning Grass, Beautiful Feathers, Iska, Rainmaker, Lokotown , Divided We Stand, The Motherless Baby and Gone to Mecca. Closer home, Dr. Taitta Arap Toweett, ( 5th May1925 – 8th October 2007) was variously described as a seer, pioneer, Statesman, Poet, Writer, Scholar, Linguist, Historian, Master Politician, Traditionalist and eccentric.

Besides his work as minister, he found time for scholarship and creative writing, rising to the chairmanship of Kenya Literature Bureau and Director of Kenya Times Newspaper. Toweett wrote no less than eight books, namely Epitaph on Colonialism and Shorter Poems, An African’s Year in England, A Study of Kalenjin Linguistics (1979), English-Kiswahili-Kalenjin Dictionary (1979), English-Swahili-Kalenjin Nouns Dictionary, Oral Traditional History of The Kipsigis (1980), Tears Over A Dead Cow and Other Stories and 100 Daily Essays.

In reflecting these recent incidents, I got thinking, “Can business, leadership and art work together? Is it possible to link art critics and scholars? Is it possible to find the missing link between reading, writing and cultural appreciation and a sense of national pride? Can we have an East African equivalent of the incisive London Review of Books, or the authoritative New York Times Literary Supplement? Unlike in the so called golden era, art criticism is today virtually non existent. Surprisingly few modern journalists can write a sensible paragraph appreciating a novel, a new movie, a collection of paintings or photographs or a series of cartoons. Many years ago Taban lo Liyong wrote The Last Word. Then Chris Wanjala penned Season of Harvest. For Home and Freedom and Another Last Word quickly followed. But since then, there have been virtually no critiques of literature on the local scene. Literary journals are few and far between. New Age died only two years after its inception, and Kwani’s deadlines are a struggle of life and death. So why are our dons, who earn their living by expounding upon the written word, not mourning?

Why are publishers moaning about people not reading, when so little is being done to encourage people to read? Why are our scholars not reviving Joliso, Darlite, or East Africa Journal? This death of literary scholarship is manifest in several ways. A decline in interest in literature, the production of sub standard books, the collapse of writers’ associations, and a folding of literary journals. One does not need to search far to see the sense of despair that has gripped the literary world, or what is left of it. Our university departments of literature have been cowed into a strange muddle called integration. Our best novels, even those that win the occasional but coveted Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, are half sheng, half bad grammar and weak plots. I am talking about Marjorie Oludhe McGoye’s Kushnev Farm Wanjiru Waithaka’s The Unbroken Spirit and Kingwa Kamenchu’s To Grasp at a Star. The result is a sea of confusion that a reader recently expressed to me at a poetry reading: “I have just finished reading Kwani? 04 and I must say it was an interesting read, save for the craze with blogs and an overwhelming sense of defensiveness.” Literary journals in East Africa have been few and far between. Besides Kwani, there isn’t much literary activity going on in Nairobi, Kampala or Dar es Salaam. Literary criticism, which is the gem of any department of literature or publishing house worth its name, is virtually lacking in the region.

East Africa’s literary history is littered with bundles of journals and magazines- Darlite, Nexus, Black Orpheus, Transition, Joliso, Ghala, East African Journal- and many more. Journals, even corporate inhouse newsletters, are noble creations which nurture literary talent, create a spirit of community or merely explains a firm’s policies. Many cultural, business political or literary magazines are often born at a time when the political, economic or cultural climate is ripe- when as one would say, the winds of change blow strongly over the land, raising the level of consciousness of the people. In essence, then they represent or manifest a movement in society triggered off by the prevailing political, economic and cultural climate. Remember Njehu Gatabaki and his Nairobi Law Monthly, or Pius Nyamora and Society? It is therefore not suprising that when the cultural and political tide ebbs and people find their places in business, politics and sports, such magazines are sniffed away like candles. Much like civil society business, which died when the activists became waheshimiwa. This is principally because so few so called men of letters their founders and sponsors are artists at heart and they would rather invest their intellectual and financial input in apparently (sadly) more socially and financially rewarding activities like politics, law or trade. Perhaps if we had a vibrant literary society, bigger than Kwani? and the university of Nairobi’s department of literature put together, we could talk of a literary rain forest, overgrown with poetry, fiction and criticism. Will the men and women of letters please stand up to be counted?

Otieno Amisi has recently published Write that Story, A Guide for Journalists and Editors.

my cv

OTIENO AMISI  CURRICULUM VITAE 1.   PERSONAL INFORMATION1.1    Name:                                         Aloice Otieno Amisi Ogara1.2    Nationality:                                Kenyan1.3    Sex:                                             Male 1.4    Address:                                c/o David G. Maillu

                                                            BOX 20019 -00200

                                                            Nairobi, Kenya     

                                                         Mobile: 0720 913 981                                                1.5.  email  : otienoamisi@yahoo.com1.6 websiteS: www.otienoamisi.wordpress.com,  www.writethatstory.wordpress.com.1.7 Occupation: Journalist /Editor1.8 Special abilities: §                  Over 15 years’ experience as a journalist in all capacities, 5 years at management level.§                  Proficiency in writing, editing, layout and design, §                  Highly innovative and creative team leader able to work with minimum supervision§                  Familiar with and involved in a wide range of journalism issues§                  Published extensively in all three leading dailies in Kenya and in international journals. 2. PERSONAL AMBITIONTo be a highly sought after writer, communications manager and trainer in East Africa and beyond. 3.  ACADEMIC BACKGROUND3.1 UniversityUniversity of Nairobi:Period:                             September 2000 to December, 2001  Faculty:                            School of JournalismCourse:                             Post graduate Diploma in Mass CommunicationSpecialization:                  Print journalism          3.2  Kenyatta University:           Period:                                        May 1987 to March, 1990          Course:                                       Bachelor of Education (Arts)          Specialization:                            Education/English High School:3.3   Gendia High school:          Period:                       1986-1987           Course                        ‘A’ Level education          Grade:                       3 principal passes in English, Geography, Christian Religious Ed. 3.4    St. Mary’s school, Yala:          Period:                                         1981-1984           Course                                        ‘O’ Level education          Grade:                                         Division One, 19 points 4.  WORK  EXPERIENCE 4.1 January, 2004  to datePost:                        Part time lecturer, Journalism Organisation:        The Kenya PolytechnicUnit:                        Department of Graphic ArtsResponsibilities:    Reporting to the Head of department, Graphic Arts, I train 90 second year students in print journalism, media ethics, editing and sub editing. 4 .2   Current  Employment:       June, 2006 to dateMedia House:                     Oakland Media ServicesDepartment:                       EditorialPost:                                     Revise Editor and Editorial CoordinatorResponsibilities:                  Reporting to and working closely with the Publishing Director, I assign feature topics to writers every month, copy edit, sub-edit and oversee page layout and design of 4 monthly magazines namely The Lawyer, Management  and Sokoni .Also writes monthly lifestyle column. 5.2    January 2006 to June 2006 Media House:              Times News Services Limited Department:                EditorialPost:                              Features EditorResponsibilities:          Reporting to and working closely with the Editor in Chief, I assign feature topics to 25 correspondents and freelance writers every week, copy edit, sub-edit and oversee page layout and design of 16 feature pages (Wednesday and Friday magazines) and leader. Also wrote a weekly commentary and theatre column.             5.3    September 2005 to January 2006Media House:              Times News Services Limited Department:                EditorialPost:                             Senior Sub EditorResponsibilities:          Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Sub Editor,  I did copy tasting, copy editing, oversee page layout and design of news pages and special reports. In the absence of the Chief Sub, I took full responsibility of the news pages. 5.4.   20th December, 2003- 8th August,  2005Media House:          Institute for Civic Affairs and DevelopmentDepartment:            EditorialPost:                         Managing Editor/National Editor of The Link, a monthly newspaper on governance and developmentResponsibilities:    Reporting to and working closely with the Institute Secretary and Programme Officer

• Recruitment, training and assigning of reporters and civic educators, report and proposal writing, monitoring and evaluation of project

• Supervising staff (writers and civic educators)
• Writing and conducting interviews for investigative, anti-corruption stories, writing monthly leads and commentaries 
• With a designer, doing the page layout and design of the 32 page paper
• Overseeing printing, circulation, and distribution of newspaper.

 5.5. 30th June 2001 – 8th August, 2003          Media House:             The Standard  Group          Department:               Editorial          Post:                            Sub Editor/Features Writer          Responsibilities:       Reporting and working closely with the Features Editor, writing, editing layout and proofreading features pages in Sunday, Wednesday and Friday Magazines in The Standard. Also wrote supplements, commentaries and analyses from time to time. 6.0    LEADERSHIP HISTORY6.1    Post Graduate:           2000: Editor, The Anvil, a  training newspaper of the  School of Journalism6.2    University:           1987-1990: Founder/Editor, The Campus Beacon, a termly students’ newsletter6.3    High School:            1983:       Editor, students’ newsletter St. Mary’s High School, Yala.          1983- 1984:     Secretary, Debating Club, Gendia High School, Kendu Bay. 7.0      HOBBIESStirring up debates to challenge established viewsReading, Writing/Theatre              8.0       REFEREES8.1   Mr. John Kamau, Editor, Business Daily,Nation Media GroupE mail: jkamau@nation.co.keTel 0722 562 854  8.2    Mr. Okech KendoManaging Editor Quality Control,The Standard Group, P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi.  Email: kendo@eastandard.net    Tel 0722 802 079          

Literary Giants programme

Literary Agents. E-Publishing. Editing. Book Marketing

P.O Box 20019, Nairobi. Tel 0722501372, 0720 913 981, 0721 978 925

 PROMOTING A READING CULTURE THROUGH SUPPORT FOR RADIO PROGRAMME Welcome to our weekly programme, Literary Giants, currently running live on KBC English Service on Sundays 1.30 – 2.30 pm. The two year programme has become increasingly popular because of its focus on and promotion of new books written and published locally. In particular, we provide a forum to promote your new books as we discuss issues in the media, creative writing, publishing and reading. The programme is conducted by a panel of award winning writers and respected critics under the chairmanship of Prof. Chris Wanjala of the University of Nairobi. It is part of our contribution to promoting a reading and writing culture in East Africa and Kenya in particular. In the recent past, we have featured Dr. Taitta Towett, (former minister of education) Onduko bw’ Atebe, (winer, Wahome Mutahi Prize 2006) Kingwa Kamenchu and Wanjiru Waithaka, (2007 winners of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize) and Dr. David G. Maillu, among others. We are now writing to seek your support for the programme in the following manner per week. Provision of 4 complementary copies of new book    (complementary)

Mobilisation                   

Honoraria

Transport and lunches          

We look forward to your kind support. Yours sincerely,  

Otieno Amisi

for: Prof Chris Wanjala.Chairman.

Stress management and the workplace

Stress management crucial in management

By Otieno Amisi

Forget absenteeism. The most serious problem in today’s workplace is presenteeism. People go to work when they shouldn’t, or work too long, or too hard. Contrary to popular belief, a large chunk of Kenya’s workforce spends far too many hours at work. Many more simply go through the motions of work, like zombies. And what’s worse, productivity is going down. According to Nancy Njoki Kamau of Lifebloom Consultancy, employers need to take the existence of presenteeism at work more seriously if productivity is to rise. “Presenteeism is a problem that creates huge loses for companies, much like absenteeism is known to do.” In a new video, Nancy examines psychological challenges at the modern workplace. The video, ‘Stress Management in a Changing Environment,’ was launched on November 16 at the St Andrew’s Church Conference Hall, Nairobi. It discusses the psychological impact of work and examines some stress coping mechanisms at both the personal and office levels. The guest of honour at the launch was Joseph Kaguthi, former Nyanza PC. “Stress is the body’s reaction to anxiety producing events. The force of stress, if not well handled, can bring down and disrupt one’s life completely,” Nancy explains. “Today’s lifestyle demands a reference tool on coping with stress. This video fills in that gap with local examples that people can easily identify with at work, at home or at community levels.” Nancy also defines stress as an emotional sign that the concerned person needs help to cope with issues in their lives that are demanding more energies and capacities than they presently have. “Stress affects the way we feel and think. When someone is stressed, they perform below capacity. They also run the risk of reaching burnout.” The video explores sources of stress at work, at home and in the community. It also examines signs and symptoms, such depression and explains how to cope. A recent study in Nairobi shows that negativity, a key emotion among both managers and employees, leads to the loss of motivation and morale. She says there is need for more studies in the organizational change phenomena that focuses on employees. The study observes that only a few organizations are proactively involved in communication processes that help workers understand the effects of change and how to manage stress. Most workers in the study, conducted by a counseling and management training firm, placed lack of proper and adequate communication at forty five percent, while those who wanted improvement on training reported twenty five percent. Improvement of welfare was twenty one percent. Seventy percent of the participants felt that poor communication was a major problem in their workplaces. The survey also reflects a growing element of resentfulness and suspicion among workers towards employers. Nancy says though many employees and managers go through psychological problems both at home and in the office, they are too immersed in work to address these problems, often until it is too late. This results in low morale, which impacts negatively on the productivity of organizations. In some cases, stress leads to depression and suicidal tendencies among workers, she says. The researcher says people have become so busy struggling to eke out a living, that they have forgotten how to listen to one another. “The traditional social systems of support have collapsed and people need something to fall back on,” Nancy says. “The work arena in both the public and private sectors has left workers with stress that has not been addressed.” At home, the economic problems both for the rich and poor triggers immense stress. Dual career parenting (where parents are employed), and single parenting have exerted considerable pressure on motherhood and fatherhood in recent years. At the community level, issues such as politics, poor infrastructure and insecurity are a further burden. People are further compelled to take on too many roles in religious and community activities, which further strains the family unit. For school going teenagers, the havoc wrought by bodily changes is compounded with growing pressure to perform and fulfill sometimes unrealistic expectations of peers, parents and teachers. For them, Nancy also published a book, What do I do now?(EAEP, 2005). “Stress can lead to clinical depression and burn out if not well addressed. People who are depressed are sometimes suicidal due to the feeling of hopelessness they have about them. They tend to blame other people and not take responsibility for things,” Nancy explains. The 36 minute video, taped before a live audience, is a handy human resource tool for managers. It also focuses on dealing with change at a personal level. It is available both on VHS and DVD formats. Nancy Kamau is a member of Kenya Counseling Association and the Kenya Institute of Management. She is a counseling psychologist, researcher and mentor. A prolific writer and researcher, she has been a columnist with Sunday Nation. She studied research, marketing and psychology and has presented findings in both local and international forums on human development, organizational change, marketing and product development. She has also anchored in many radio and television programs on change management issues. Pic caption: Nancy Kamau. Original pic available.

On stress management

Stress management is crucial in management, writes Otieno Amisi

 

Forget absenteeism. The most serious problem in today’s workplace is presenteeism. People go to work when they shouldn’t, or work too long, or too hard.

 

Contrary to popular belief, a large chunk of Kenya’s workforce spends far too many hours at work. Many more simply go through the motions of work, like zombies. And what’s worse, productivity is going down.

 

According to Nancy Njoki Kamau of Lifebloom Consultancy, employers need to take the existence of presenteeism at work more seriously if productivity is to rise.

 

“Presenteeism is a problem that creates huge loses for companies, much like absenteeism is known to do.”

 

In a new video, Nancy examines psychological challenges at the modern workplace. The video, ‘Stress Management in a Changing Environment,’ was launched on November 16 at the St Andrew’s Church Conference Hall, Nairobi. It discusses the psychological impact of work and examines some stress coping mechanisms at both the personal and office levels. The guest of honour at the launch was Joseph Kaguthi, former Nyanza PC.

“Stress is the body’s reaction to anxiety producing events. The force of stress, if not well handled, can bring down and disrupt one’s life completely,” Nancy explains. “Today’s lifestyle demands a reference tool on coping with stress. This video fills in that gap with local examples that people can easily identify with at work, at home or at community levels.”

 

Nancy also defines stress as an emotional sign that the concerned person needs help to cope with issues in their lives that are demanding more energies and capacities than they presently have.

 

“Stress affects the way we feel and think. When someone is stressed, they perform below capacity. They also run the risk of reaching burnout.”

 

The video explores sources of stress at work, at home and in the community. It also examines signs and symptoms, such depression and explains how to cope.

 

A recent study in Nairobi shows that negativity, a key emotion among both managers and employees, leads to the loss of motivation and morale. She says there is need for more studies in the organizational change phenomena that focuses on employees.

The study observes that only a few organizations are proactively involved in communication processes that help workers understand the effects of change and how to manage stress.

 

Most workers in the study, conducted by a counseling and management training firm, placed lack of proper and adequate communication at forty five percent, while those who wanted improvement on training reported twenty five percent. Improvement of welfare was twenty one percent.

 

Seventy percent of the participants felt that poor communication was a major problem in their workplaces. The survey also reflects a growing element of resentfulness and suspicion among workers towards employers.

 

Nancy says though many employees and managers go through psychological problems both at home and in the office, they are too immersed in work to address these problems, often until it is too late. This results in low morale, which impacts negatively on the productivity of organizations. In some cases, stress leads to depression and suicidal tendencies among workers, she says.

 

The researcher says people have become so busy struggling to eke out a living, that they have forgotten how to listen to one another.

 

“The traditional social systems of support have collapsed and people need something to fall back on,” Nancy says. “The work arena in both the public and private sectors has left workers with stress that has not been addressed.”

 

At home, the economic problems both for the rich and poor triggers immense stress. Dual career parenting (where parents are employed), and single parenting have exerted considerable pressure on motherhood and fatherhood in recent years.

 

At the community level, issues such as politics, poor infrastructure and insecurity are a further burden. People are further compelled to take on too many roles in religious and community activities, which further strains the family unit.

 

For school going teenagers, the havoc wrought by bodily changes is compounded with growing pressure to perform and fulfill sometimes unrealistic expectations of peers, parents and teachers

 

“Stress can lead to clinical depression and burn out if not well addressed. People who are depressed are sometimes suicidal due to the feeling of hopelessness they have about them. They tend to blame other people and not take responsibility for things,” Nancy explains.

 The 36 minute video, taped before a live audience, is a handy human resource tool for managers. It also focuses on dealing with change at a personal level.  It is available both on VHS and DVD formats.  

Nancy Kamau is a member of Kenya Counseling Association and the Kenya Institute of Management. She is a counseling psychologist, researcher and mentor. A prolific writer and researcher, she has been a columnist with Sunday Nation. She studied research, marketing and psychology and has presented findings in both local and international forums on human development, organizational change, marketing and product development. She has also anchored in many radio and television programs on change management issues.

  

   

Write that Story: contents and acknowledgement

Contents

Chapter 1: On being a Journalist 7 Chapter 2: An open Letter to an Aspiring Journalist 11 Chapter 3: Remembering a Great Man of Words 16 Chapter 4: Do East Africans Read? 20 Chapter 3: Yes, we are reading and writing 24 Chapter 5: Still Born 29 Chapter 6: Shame! Sex Sells 33 Chapter 7: Confusions in Media Practice in East Africa 33 Chapter 8: An Overview of Development Journalism 41 Chapter 9: Can We Save the Internet? 47 Chapter 10: The Trouble with Sheng 58 Chapter 11: Back to Basics 61 Chapter 12: Journalism is Not Public Relations 66 Chapter 13: Media, Ethics and The Law 71 Chapter 14: Getting the Right Story 78 Chapter 15: Getting the Story Right 83 Chapter 16: Editors and Editing 89 Chapter 17: Clarity, Simplicity and Brevity 96 Chapter 18: The Intro and other elements of Style 102 Chapter 19: Attribution 107 Chapter 20: The Magic Five 114 Chapter 21: Writing Features 118 Chapter 22: Reporting science 124 Chapter 23: Editorials and Commentaries 131 Chapter 24: Write that Story 135 Chapter 25: Practice Exercises 139 Glossary 167 Further reading 190 Reviews and comments 191

Acknowledgements

I n writing this book, I am indebted to several people and organizations.The most notable of these is veteran Kenyan journalist Joe Kadhi, who stirred my journalistic interests and inspired me to formally study journalism. Okech Kendo (The Standard Group, Mary Kidenda (Kenya Polytechnic University College), Mundia Muchiri and Jenniffer Pallanich (Oakland Media Services) and Chris Odwesso ( Kenya Times) all provided me with the working environment which informed many opinions and experiences shared here. I am also indebted to Fr. Renato Kizito of the Catholic University of East Africa and journalism scholars Ndirangu Wachanga and Kordi Barth. Finally, I thank Jacob Okech (University of Nairobi) and Vivian Akinyi (Kampala International University) for proofreading. Photo credits go to Eudia Kamonjo, Nicholas Rukenya and Tom Njeru, while cartoons are by Mateso and the Internet.

Literary Giants mp3

Legal news

 BUNGE LA MWANANCHI ELECTIONS HELD

By George Nyongesa

Bunge la Mwananchi is a public forum where ordinary Kenyans meet everyday from 11am to 6 pm to discuss social, political and economic issues affecting them. This is a fast growing grass-root movement that has seen several forums spring up around the country such as Mombasa, Eldoret, Homabay, Kisumu, Kakamega, Kawangware, Huruma, Kayole among others. The city centre forum that meets at Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi attracts at least 200 people in one sitting but cumulatively has over 600 people a day. Bunge La Mwananchi whose mission is “setting the agenda for our leaders” is an informative and interactive forum that is increasing political consciousness of the ordinary Kenyan. The forums have become political ‘hot spots’ that recently hosted top politicians such as Hon. Wanyiri Kihoro, Hon. James Orengo, Dr. Tom Namwamba, Prof. Lihanda, and Hon. Musikari Kombo among others to debate on important national issues.

Elections Results

On 12^th September, 2007 Bunge La Mwananchi held an election to choose it is leaders fro the Nairobi forums.

This particular election was held to achieve the following objectives besides providing leadership.

The elections was a test to see if ordinary Kenyans can organize themselves to hold free and fair democratic elections of leaders; to institutionalize the movement through order and discipline born of democratically elected leaders; to transition from the previous leadership which had seized to be in office as per their mandate and  lastly to permanently halt some people who were masquerading as duly elected leaders of the people but they are just some self-proclaimed leaders with no mandate from Bunge La Mwananchi members.

Before the elections all the contestants appeared before Bunge members in person to explain their vision for the people’s parliament and they were asked questions by the members. 

The elections attracted a participation of 432 people, Bunge members who were registered for a period of two weeks preceding the elections date 12^th September, 2007. On the material day of election 392 Bunge members participated in the election which ran from 10am to 3pm. According to Bunge resolution of 26^th August, 2007, the election was done through secret ballot. There were 5 election officers, elected by Bunge members to preside over the elections and also we had a number of civil society partners who came to witness the elections.

All Bunge members were allowed to be observers of the elections. The ballot papers were counted right at the election station.  The whole of elections process was recorded and the footage has been preserved for future. The elections were very competitive and attracted many contestants: Speaker had 4 contestants, Deputy Speaker, 3, Attorney General, 2; Chief whip, 2 and the Cabinet had 20 individuals. The new office bearers were given performance mandate by the Bunge members to be in office for 6 months starting 14^th September, 2007 to 14^th March, 2008  after which there performance will be reviewed and extend accordingly if the Bunge members are pleased by their performance or replaced. The new officials’ initial activities will be to design job description and functions for all offices, to set up an office for Bunge, collect views on Bunge movement’s constitution, to recruit new membership (target 1,000,000 ordinary Kenyans), to coordinate pre-elections civic education, and to formulate the vision, goals and activities for Bunge for the next one year. 

Bunge La Mwananchi pleads with you, as its important partner to help the movement institutionalize its leadership, order and discipline by not involving or transacting with anyone on behalf of Bunge La Mwananchi not listed below as duly elected leader. Incase of any confusing situation we urge to clear it by walking Bunge La Mwananchi Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi to clear out. Bunge also request your support in kind and finance. Those willing to contribute can call ( +254 720 451 235 for details.

 The following were elected to serve as leaders: Speaker:  Fredrick OdhiamboDeputy Speaker:  Douglas MutiaAttorney General: Ephantus GithaeChief Whip: Collins OjikaCABINET MEMBERS: Daniel Wanyoike, Steve Odhiambo, Elijah Ratemo, Josephat Waema, Nahashon Nameza, Aloo Omer, Benard Nyagaka, Andrew Omwaja, Salim Nganga, Dancan Waganda and Lawrence Maina.  

Papers Sought

The African Research and Resource Form, which publishes the quarterly, The NEW PATH: AFRICAN FORUM FOR INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT is inviting articles (opinion and analysis) for the October 2007 edition. The topics are:

1. Peace and Development in Southern Sudan in the Post-Conflict period.
2. The Role of the Media in national Politics (special attention to the forthcoming general elections in Kenya) and regional integration in the context of the East African Community (EAC).
3. Linking Research and policy Uptake in Science and Technology.
4. Higher Education In eastern Africa.

The forum works with innovative thinkers in Eastern Africa to shed imaginative light on African affairs. More details can be obtained from the editor at admin@arrforum.org>  Is Kibaki becoming unpopular?I am fed up to death with politics, but I couldn’t ignore this one from Moses Auta:“I received an SMS last night from a senior person in society who told me that Steadman conducted an opinion poll and Kibaki and Raila are tying at 43% while Kalonzo has 11%. He said that Steadman is not ready to make this public as it is not favourable to Kibaki. The man may be havingg sources as he has engaged Steadman to do some work for him before. The way I see it, Steadman will continue conducting very many other Opinion polls and keep them the after the general elections they are going to say they knew the winner from their polls but kept the results in order not to influence the election outcome. They did so during the referendum and they are going to do it. Yet they have been releasing opinion polls that put Kibaki ahead! Shameless people.” 

Let your voice be heard

Following the recent upsurge in insecurity and violent crimes in the country, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has initiated a public inquiry on security and national integration. The purpose of the inquiry is to establish the truth about the security situation in the country. As part of the inquiry three hearings will be held as follows:24^th September from 8am at St. Vincent Pastoral Centre, Kisii Town 26^th  September from 8am at Karuri Catholic Church Hall, Banana Hill 27+28^th September from 8am at KICC, Nairobi.

The three hearings are just the beginning of the inquiry and will focus on organised criminal groups as its phase one. The hearings will offer Kenyans from the common wananchi to the police officer on the street to the Minister of Internal Security a moment to reflect on the causes of insecurity and how the Government, the Police and Kenyans in general can contribute in creating a basis for security and national integration. You are invited to come and share with the National Commission and the public what you know on the issue. Contact Senior Legal Counsel Abdulkadir Noormohamed for more information at noormohamed@knchr.org or 254-20-2717908

BUDALANG’I FLOODS VICTIMS APPEAL

The Ababu Namwamba Foundation (ANF) is currently spearheading emergency relief efforts for Budalang’i flood victims.The charity says the current floods are the worst to hit the area since the 1997 El-Nino. Some 40,000 people have been displaced, countless homes have been destroyed, and five schools have closed. Physical infrastructure like roads have been laid to waste, while crops, livestock and other properties worth millions of shillings now lie in ruins.A communiqué from the foundation says, in part: “As the government and other stakeholders grapple with the challenge of finding a lasting solution to this perennial catastrophe, the children, men and women of Budalang’i are in desperate need of emergency support, including foodstuffs, medical supplies, housing materials, mosquito nets, blankets and other bedding materials.As part of the relief effort, ANF hosted a Cocktail to mobilize funds and supplies for the 40,000 victims. The event was held on Wednesday, September 12^th, 2007 at  KICC, Nairobi.     

Another reviewer on Writers’ guide

New book on media practice 

Title: Write That Story: A Guide for Writers and Editors.

Author: Otieno Amisi

Publisher: Creative Ventures,

Nairobi, 2007.  

E-publishing is a phenomenon that is relatively new in Kenya. Save for a few websites and blogs, there is pretty little e publishing going on locally. Many writers and readers still cling on the print media, with all its shortcomings.

It is therefore commendable that one of Kenya’s foremost journalists and creative writers, Otieno Amisi, has just released an e-book on writing and editing.

Perhaps the first Kenyan e-book, Write That Story is written for a profession that grossly lacks locally published material. It is unique in the sense that it packages all that a writer requires in order to effectively write both journalistic and creative pieces and puts it all on the web.

While media scholarship continues to grow and entrench itself as an academic discipline in Kenya, Nairobi alone has numerous intermediate colleges and universities teaching media. It is no doubt that Write that Story is going to be quite handy to these colleges and universities that offer media studies.

Earlier scholars like Wilbur Schramm laid the foundation for media studies and wrote extensively about the discipline. Otieno Amisi now joins this hallowed community of scholars who are determined to strengthen media as a discipline and profession. Inevitably, this new breed of scholars, like Andrew Keen, take a keen and growing interest on the internet.

Write that story is a detailed guide book which demonstrates step by step, how to write the various types of journalistic stories-news stories, commentaries, feature stories, analytical and specialized stories and investigative stories. Journalists in most cases, only go to libraries when they are researching for a story. But now the internet is changing all that.

Amisi’s book emphasizes the need for journalists to keep refining their skills by extensive reading and researching. It behoves journalists to keep on learning new trends by going back to guidelines, whether from this book or elsewhere.

The book explains in considerable detail, how blogging works for a journalist. The author himself, an avid blogger, displays stories and arguments from different blogs, hence showing how this new form of communication has expanded both creative and journalistic space. He however cautions readers on the limitations of the many blogspots dotting cyberspace, which in his view, renders the gate keeping function of the media almost entirely useless, since bloggers are their own editors. This trend, Amisi warns, can easily compromise journalistic standards.

Nonetheless, he encourages upcoming writers to exploit this technique which enables everyone to publish, atleast virtually. It is important to note that blogs are susceptible to plagiarism; hence whoever embraces it has to be aware of this risk.

Write that Story is also a practical guide book, which contains excerpts of stories that have been previously published in newspapers and magazines. The author, who is also a teacher of mass communication, uses them to illustrate principles of good journalism. The book also has practicing exercises on writing and editing. Most writers don’t bother to review their work to thresh out unnecessary material and the author’s effort to deal with aspects of grammar and punctuation is commendable.

The author goes out of his way to draw a line between journalism and public relations. In his view, a lot of PR people masquerade as journalists hence creating confusion. Indeed, an attempt to distinguish these two professions is crucial. Much as these two areas are closely related, there is need to clearly separate them. That way, journalism is able to effectively address issues which are beyond the parameters of organizational structure and corporate communication. In fact, this book is one resource with which journalists can dissociate themselves from PR-it is not a guide book for PR and hence the masqueraders will not know how to use it, you have to be a journalist in order to have the capability to use this book.

Otieno Amisi, an alumnus of the University of Nairobi’s school of journalism, has succeeded where many have failed. Even local media scholars have done much publishing; most of them are known for either contributing in newspapers or writing academic papers for the Africa Media Review. But this is a full-fledged book which scholars all over the world, will soon be referring to. The book examines the hallmarks of journalistic practice, highlighting the contribution of various media personalities, and delves into the growth of the profession in Kenya.

At last, journalism students in Kenya and East Africa now have a relevant reference text. The book gives examples of local stories that will make it easy for the students to relate to the subject with ease. This book can be viewed at www.writethatstory.wordpress.com.

 The reviewer is a post graduate student of journalism at the University of Nairobi. 

Who will save our languages?

LANGUAGE AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT

By Otieno Amisi

 When in January last year the African Union declared 2006 as the year of African languages, they had not prepared themselves for 

Kenya’s latest onslaught on language and literature.

The AU summit, held in Khartoum, Sudan, resolved that to protect the linguistic and literary diversity of Africa from the

ravages of (neo) colonization, there was need to create and enforce a raft of policies that would be both inclusive 

and supportive of local languages.

It is this context that a recent report that Kenyan universities plan to phase out departments of 

literature (Kwamchetsi Makokha, Sunday Nation 23rd August 2007) is both shocking and disgusting.

 The onslaught against arts-based courses, and especially language and literature, is nothing new in Kenya. 

What is surprising is the nonchalance with which our supposed defenders of language have tended to 

accept harmful and drastic changes 

to the teaching of language and literature. Kenya’s new onslaught on the already besieged study of African 

languages and literature must be condemned with the vehemence that recently accompanied the controversial Media Bill.  

In the early 1990s, a host of pro status-quo scholars championed the abolition of a noble course called Black Aesthetics. 

Since then, our universities, prompted by a few apologists, have proceeded to diminish the place of literature, language 

and culture, and even when they opened up to foreign languages like Japanese, Chinese and French, the focus has been on science.

Now, three decades after Taban lo Liyong, Owuor Anyumba and Ngugi wa Thiongo struggled to hoist African literature

and languages into the centre of higher education, short sighted policy makers are busy perpetuating foreign languages 

and ideology in our schools.

It will be remembered that the literary gurus successfully championed for the creation of a department of literature at 

the University of Nairobi, as opposed to the department of English. 

This development not only widened the frontiers of cultural studies, but also helped place African thought 

and culture at the centre of national and international debate. 

The spirit of the time was that international dialogue could not be complete until Africa was included. 

So Achebe and Soyinka’s worldviews became an integral part of any world debate worth its salt.

It is shocking that nearly two decades after the abolition of the department of English, and 

despite the widely touted growth of democratic space, the phenomenal growth of the media and 

increased political tolerance, enemies of free speech and creativity still abound.

Enemies of literature and the arts out there are still legion. What’s more, people in positions of power and 

authority do not give serious thought to the importance of literature, language and culture in national development. 

They are certainly not making any attempts to promote the growth of literature, yet these are crucial elements in developing 

a national conscience.

As a teacher of literature, I am often infuriated when grammar, syntax and other aspects of language are squeezed into 

the pulse of poetry and richness of oral literature and the theatrical intellect of dramatists. 

How do we expect children to appreciate their cultures, national heritage and languages if we continue 

to squeeze the study of literature out of the school system? How do we expect our youth to understand Shakespeare 

if they do not have enough time to study language in the first place? This integration thing is a sham.

By squeezing literature back into the departments of ‘English’ university authorities are no better than the colonialists 

of yore. They are crowding the corridors of higher education with intellectual zombies, an entire generation of semi-literate 

people who are educated, but not, as Paulo Freire would put it, ‘conscientized.’

Many graduates today – whether of the arts or sciences, do not give a hoot about their language, 

history or culture, and therefore by extension, their mother country.

The mere thought of abolishing literature from the formal university system means there are still by far 

too many illiterate people who fear that the study of literature turns people into demagogues, and that the genre turns students

 into critics, rebels and outright saboteurs.

But is it perhaps time to abandon literature? Isn’t the struggle for liberation, with its call to defend our motherland, 

over? If the war is over, was it won, or did we simply give up in despair? 

Why do we throw up our arms and submit sheepishly to modern day imperialism? Or does it not matter that our 

children sip coca cola and chatter incessantly and intimately about European footballers when they cannot 

count five heroes of the independence struggle? Maybe it doesn’t matter?

When I was admitted to study literature at Kenyatta University many years ago, I was forced to study language 

against my will. The reason was that since I was taking education, and was going to be a teacher of literature, 

(it was the time when Integrated English came into the syllabus), I would be better suited to teach literature if 

I also studied English. Though I enjoyed the study of linguistics, I did not care much for the language of colonization.

I loved literature, and I still do. Because the study of literature nurtures creative thinking and instills a sense of 

patriotism. Now, shrewd leaders, like scholars of culture and history, should know that there is a strong 

connection between language and the enslavement or liberty of a people and their capacity for development. 

Apartheid and its nonsense about linguistic superiority is gone, but experiences of African countries since

political independence indicates that there is even greater need to raise consciousness about language and link 

it to development if our nations are to join the list of industrialized nations.

Though science and technology are crucial to industrialization, science alone with a meager sprinkling of the arts is 

not enough.

 The study of literature, especially, props up industrialization by instilling a sense of national pride and a deep 

rooted love for our culture and our peoples. It is even more important that education systems inculcate in people 

this sense of patriotism in both ordinary people and decision makers. 

The Languages of Africa are a diverse set of languages. All over the continent, European languages 

have a great deal of influence due to the recent history of colonization. According to Wikipedia, there 

are an estimated 2,000 languages spoken in Africa. African languages such as Swahili, Hausa, and Yoruba,

are spoken by millions of people. Yet there is little literature in these languages, because conventional publishing

 still puts undue emphasis on print. Educationists and policy makers don’t seem worried that many other languages, 

like Laal, Shabo, and Dahalo, which are spoken by only a few hundred people, may die out unless there is a concerted, 

deliberate effort to promote them.At a time when the abundant linguistic diversity of many African countries has made

language policy an extremely important issue, why should the time allocated to the study of language and literature be diminished? 

In recent years, African countries have become increasingly aware of the value of their linguistic inheritance. 

Recent language policies are mostly aimed at multilingualism. For example, all African languages are considered

 official languages of the African Union. And the growing media space has provided a niche for 

indigenous languages to thrive. But we need to move beyond mere policy and enforce the use and study of local

languages and literature not only in universities, but also in schools.

Language and thought 

A professor at the University of  Yaoundé, Cameroon, Prince Kum’a Ndumbe III, writes:

“Language enables us to articulate our ideas, feelings, faith, dreams and vision of the world. 

Language allows us to recount our everyday, to interrogate our past and plan our future. 

It enables us to articulate constructed thought. And thought is a vehicle of development – or regression.

Thus through the power of  thought and its practical or technical application, discoveries are made, 

acquisitions are preserved, change comes about, predictions and probabilities are programmed.”

Curtailing the study of literature at any level is like tying our children’s tongues, thus killing our languages, 

and with it our cultures, history, thought processes, and national pride. It is a direct, unashamed perpetuation of neo 

colonialism.

 The don argues that the colonial experience of African countries “applied the breaks to the articulation of the 

collective thought of the African peoples, and the coloniser’s language was imposed as the only officially 

recognised language.” 

 He continues, “African languages were condemned to the domain of folklore as ‘vernacular languages’ or ‘patois’. 

Thought that continued to be articulated by individuals in their ‘patois’, was not recognised and was marginalised. 

In the colonial encounter between Europe and Africa in African lands, the articulation of thought thus suddenly 

became a question of contested political power. Thought expressed in indigenous African languages became 

marginalised. It was labelled primitive, barbarous, backward, incapable of intellect, incapable of communicating progress 

or development.”

 One can detect more or less the same hostile attitude towards literature, languages and the arts today. 

Everyone is crazy about science, law, medicine, and if your thoughts are not expressed in ‘scientific’ language 

(read NGO speak), no one wants to listen to you. Every project must be tailored towards some ‘millennium development 

goal.’ The language must appeal to western nations who hold the dollar and the power to vet and fund ideas. 

So anything outside this realm, like national pride and identity or culture, or indigenous knowledge, is shunned, 

even though it may be more important in the long run.

 If you want to understand our obsession with the west, with this polythene bag philanthropy, with visa cards and 

Goldenberg, you need only to look at our education system. Our schools are churning out hundreds of thousands 

of young people for whom ‘home’ and its indigenous language is an awkward, backward, non profit, even non existent 

or meaningless. To many young people, local languages are a lifeless unreality, while by extension, everything foreign

is better, superior, or chic, or ‘cool.’ So fanaticism for the European language, like its football league is frenetic, maddening 

even; young adults speak English with an  American accent, much as they worship English football as if it were 

Gor Mahia or AFC Leopards.

 Any urban chap these days can tell you what Alex Fegurson ate for breakfast this morning, 

even if they have never heard of Moyale or Butere. Or why Beyonce has just had a tiff with her latest boyfriend, 

and will not write two sentences about Dedan Kimathi or Julius Nyerere.

 It is no wonder, then, that we grow up to become mother-haters, impetuous looters of public funds, preferring to 

study and work abroad, always looking for a chance to flee this country,  to fleece this country, and to stash away 

cash in European banks, despite the government’s appeal in the slogan, ‘Najivunia kuwa Mkenya.’

 Only a sustained study of literature can stem this brainwashing, this pandering to western values, this forced 

dependency on importation. Only a more serious attention to the teaching and learning of language will save us 

from this powerlessness that has impoverished us in so many ways.

 Though physically absent, the colonizer maintains a remote-controlled stranglehold over our language, thinking and 

even national planning. Our African people no longer think or articulate ideas in our own languages. 

Does your proposal go against donor wisdom? Do you use ‘acceptable’ language? Do you speak MDG language?

 Europe has thus continued to use its languages to conquer and dominate peoples whose territories remain occupied

not militarily, but by what looks like charitable advice, propped up by philanthropy or even benevolence. 

This state of affairs has been so deeply ingrained in our psyche that many people no longer see it, or simply accept it as inevitable. 

 While for centuries, all public support for the articulation of their ideas was suppressed, now there is simply no forum 

for local languages today. The space for local literature is becoming smaller and smaller. Indigenous languages have

 all but disappeared from public spaces and are virtually unknown in administration, schools, media, and even in

the so called ‘acculturation’ churches.

 Our intellectuals still pass through a thinly veiled filter of linguistic domination, perpetuated by the media, 

and articulated in the language of the neo colonizer. In turn, they end up convinced that Africa cannot, can never

 produce original thought to steer progress or development. Ideas of progress can only be articulated in the 

language of the European colonizer. Like MDG and Vision 2030.

 Yet it must be remembered that Africa is only a marginal, peripheral continent, very much of secondary concern in

the global strategy of power sharing in the world. According to this subtly  stated strategy, Africa must be severely 

contained, marginalised, controlled, weakened and dominated in order that the winners of globalisation may 

continue to draw from it what they need to nail their power and globalised supremacy. 

And the killing of African languages is a vital tool for this continued domination.

 African populations do not even really understand this continued global dominance, or are too weak to challenge it. 

They remain for the most part ignorant of the concepts, discourses and programmes elaborated for them at national 

as well as global levels. They did not conceive, and do not even have access to, the debate about the fate reserved 

for them in the framework of globalised competition.