Switch-off process affects Media class

Do you want to contact Tom? Ok, you can check him in H 141 if it’s not time for class and he is not in the computer lab. Are you surprised? Cool. Now tell me, how else would you like to reach him? What! His phone number? Ooh, you might be right to some extent. I will give you his phone number. It is something similar to 07029463XX. But how the hell do you think this is going to be helpful to you? Call him! Through his phone number? You must be very funny! Maybe you should call him through his room-mate if at all he has one. Because how do you expect to call somebody who only bears a sim card? Yes, I understand that he had a phone, but that was in the past. And am convinced that it is for the same reason that your surprise was, “But he had a phone!”

No, it never got lost! How would that be possible? Of course Mokuah Tom Edward liked and hence took great care of his phone. Earphones were almost becoming part and parcel of him; always listening to music stored in his phone’s memory card – particularly the Bongo type music.

I guess that little did Tom know that one day his handset would be rendered useless! Not by anything tangible, but something worth mentioning. It is the initiative action by the Communication Council of Kenya to put to a halt the use of counterfeit (or rather) fake mobile phones that caused our dear class-mate this disgrace!

Despite being a Media Practitioner, Tom never seemed to believe a word of it when a group of Agak, Wambua and I were trying to convince him that the switch-off exercise would be real, just a day before the reality convinced him. Maybe his apparent strong opposition would otherwise be termed as ‘wishful thinking’ that ‘Moi University si Kenya’ so the CCK would hardly find a way to cross boarders and eventually reach his device.

Today, ‘Invalid sim’ and ‘Battery low” are the only two indications that can display on his device’s screen without any trouble. What happened?

 His double-sim card’s handset was among the first 100 mobile phones to be done away with on 1^st October, 2012!

Was it fake? That goes without saying.

However, the Kisii-speaking guy is not the only victim that I intended to mention. I have not even told you about the approach by our class representative, Okumu Mala Brian, to borrow from me, one of my Nokia originals just to briefly insert his sim card and wait for any probable message that was supposed to be delivered to him! Yes, this is a true story. It happened in the evening of Tuesday 2^nd, a few hours before the kick-off time of UEFA Champions League group stage match between Manchester United and CFR Cluj, where the former won 2-1. I had no otherwise but to risk my phone into the leader’s sometimes careless hands. I did this while trying to hide my sarcastic laughter lest he realize my ‘arrogant’ behavior of laughing at a desperate class representative - someone who has the power of even giving an order to a lecturer to reduce my exam marks by half as a result of misbehaving!

So far, the two are the only reported CCK victim cases from our Media class, among hundreds of thousands of other Kenyans.

Airtel sparks a smile

Airtel, one of the leading telecommunication network providers in Kenya has finally done its thing.
Today, through its Limited Edition Klub254 Gear, it has made my day. My participation in this particular promotion was not in vain - I have won some amazing prizes! An airtel branded T-shirt, water bottle and 500/= credit.

Awarding me the prizes at the Eldoret Airtel Office, Mr. Donald said, "With this airtime, you can continue browsing and you could win more with Airtel Club 254..."
It was a nice experience and I promised to continue using Airtel network.
Club 254 enables you to choose 10 Airtel numbers, add them as friends and call them at only 1 bob per minute, apart from send them free sms all day! You can also access free Facebook through 0.facebook.com and free twitter through m.twitter.com. To join club 254, dial *254# and proceed- at only 1 bob per day.
To participate in the Limited Edition Klub254 Gear, just like this Airtel Facebook page.

Ujanja wa mwuzaji - Hasara kwa mwuzaji

Kuna muuzaji fulani hapa chuoni, anayeshughulika na bidhaa kama mahamri, chapati, samosa, chips, smokies, na kadhalika.
Kwa mda mrefu nimekuwa nikimchunguza mienendo yake na nikagundua kwamba anatumia ujanja sana na kuwafyonza wanafunzi wenzangu.
Unaponunua kitu kama chips hivi, atafanya awezalo mpaka akunyanyase tu kwa ule uchache wa bidhaa hizo atakazokutilia. Utaondoka ukiwa sura umeivimbisha lakini utafanyaje na tayari kalameni keshatia ngwenje kibindoni? Wakati mwengine usipokuwa makini atakurudishia baki isiyo kamili ama hata ajifanye kasahau kabisa!
Tabia hii imekuwa ikinikera kwa mda mrefu lakini nikaweka tumaini kwamba, "Hata sungura mjanja alishikwa wavu likabaki shavu, kwani huyu ni nani asipatikane kwa nyavu siku moja?"

Uzito wa kiamsha kinywa

Leo imekuwa siku kubwa sana kwangu. Nimeamka asubuhi na kama ilivyo ada, nikatayarisha chai vizuri- tena ya mkandaa, na tangawizi ndani yake. Kisha nikajitembeza hadi kwenye duka la vitafunio kwa lengo la kujipatia angalau mahamri mawili ili niongeze uzito wa kiamsha kinywa eti.
Kufika pale nikakuta watu watatu wakihudumiwa na jamaa huyo huyo. Nikachomoa noti ya shilingi hamsini na kumwambia, "Unisaidie na mahamri mawili." Muuzaji huyo, kwa upole na uhakika, akachukua mfuko mweusi wa nailoni na kuanza kutumbukiza mahamri sasa. Basi nimehesabu mpaka yakafika sita! Wala sikusema jambo. Akanipa, nikayapokea kwa mikono miwili nikaanza kusubiri baki yangu ya shilingi ishirini- Hamri moja ni shilingi tano amba?
Kwa mshangao mkubwa na tabasamu ya ndani kwa ndani, sikuamini macho yangu nilipopokea kitita cha shilingi mia nne na sabini!

Bila kusita, nimezichukua kwa uzuri na kuondoka mara hiyo.

Nikatembea aste aste, kwa maringo na madoido mpaka chumbani kwangu ambako nimejifanyia sherehe ya kibinafsi huku nikishukuru kwa bahati niliyoiangukia siku ya leo. Kiamsha kinyua kimekuwa cha uzito si haba na mpaka sasa bado nimefurahi. Tangu lini shilingi hamsini ikawa mia tanooo?

Ukweli mchungu ni kwamba sijamuibia - Kwani makini yake imepotelea wapi leo?

Fursa niliyoikosa

Je, uliposajiliwa kama mwanafunzi katika bewa kuu la chuo kikuu cha Moi, ilikuwa mara yako ya ngapi kukanyaga ardhi ya mahala hapa? Swali hili, katu haliwezi kuzalisha majibu sawa kwa wadau tofauti tofauti katika taasisi hii ya elimu.

 Kunao waliowahi kuzuru mahali hapa hata kabla hawajajua kwamba huenda hatimaye wakajipata papa hapa katika safari yao ya kutafuta shahada.

Aidha kuna wale ambao, mimi nikiwa mmoja wao, waliyaona mandthari ya Moi mara ya mosi katika pilkapilka za kusajiliwa kiuanagenzi.

Kwa wanafunzi wa shule ya upili ua St. Teresa’s Opanga - iliyoko eneo la Kadongo katika mkoa wa Nyanza, hii leo imekuwa siku njema kwa baadhi yao waliopata nafasi ya kuzuru chuo hiki. Kwa hakika hii ni hatua kabambe sana, hasa tukizingatia saikolojia ya mwanadamu – ambaye hupata mvuto wa kukienzi kitu anachokiona kwa macho kuwa kizuri. Natumai kunao wengine ambao tayari wamepata motisha utakaowatia ngoa na kuwapa msukumo wa kufanya vyema katika mtihani wao wa kitaifa wa KCSE, ili mwisho wa siku nao wajivunie kuwa wana-Moi au chuo kikuu chochote chenginecho.

Wanafunzi wa Teresa's - Chuoni Moi

Dhana ya kwamba wanafunzi hao wamependezewa na mahali hapa ungeithibitisha tu, kama ungepita karibu nao na kutazama tabasamu lililokuwa limetanda nyusoni mwa wengi wao – kama si wote. Wengine hawakutaka kuondoka kisha waisahau siku hii maishani mwao, hivyo basi wakaamua kupiga picha katika maeneo fulani fulani yaliyoonekana kuwavutia zaidi. Wanafunzi hao wametembezwa sehemu mbali mbali zikiwemo ukumbi wa wanafunzi, maktaba, kitivo cha rasilimali-watu, afisi za utawala na kadhalika.

Lakini kwa kauli yangu, wanafunzi hao wameikosa fursa ya dhahabu, ambayo ingewapa taswira kamili ya maisha chuoni humu, kwa kutopelekwa sehemu nyeti kama vile hosteli H na J. Huko, wangejionea maajabu ya mwaka na hata pengine kuchanganyikiwa kwa taarifa-kinzani. Huku muelekezi wao akisema, “Hapa ni H, hosteli inayoishi wanafunzi wa kiume tu…” wakati huo huo anatokezea binti mmoja au wawili wakitoka kuoga na wanaingia ‘vyumbani mwao’. Huko J pia, muelekezi angesema, “Humu ni mwa wasichana sasa…” mara ghafla wanakutana na barobaro limeshikilia kifuko cha ngumuu na linafungua mlango wa ‘chumba chake’!

Hata hivyo, waliyoyapata yanatosha, kwani wanafunzi hao wamejifunza mengi kwa kujionea, kujisomea na hata kwa kusikia pia; hayo yote ni katika fursa waliyopewa, fursa ya kutamanika – Fursa niliyoikosa!!!

Public Figures versus Privacy Rights

Media laws and ethics are there to regulate the activities of media practitioners. This is meant to ensure that media people act according to the profession’s acceptable code of conduct. Unfortunately, this issue has always generated a lot of controversial questions and debates, right from the law of defamation, copyright, censorship and privacy – up to the ethical issues such as objectivity, credibility, fairness, truth, and plagiarism – among others. Questions like who should enforce these laws and ethics – the constitution or the media itself – and to what extent have always posed a challenge to those interested in providing answers.

In this article, I want to concentrate much on the law of privacy as a right, especially to public figures.

According to the resultant combination of different scholars’ definitions, a public figure can be figured out as a person who is popular or famous amongst others and whose actions may be of interest to them. They may be government officials/politicians, other leaders and even celebrities – actors and actresses, musicians, footballers, e.t.c.

Generally, public figures are always entitled to minimal privacy rights in the society. Why? I have already said it that their actions may be of interest to the public.

If reporters cling so much on the law of privacy, there may be almost no news to report about.

Many men have divorced their wives, taken to court and ordered to pay huge amounts of money to the divorced, but which example of these cases do most people know if not that of Philip Moi? Reason? The retired president’s blood flows in his veins!

Wambua (right) surprised by his majesty

What has actually triggered the birth of this article is the latest ‘public’ action by the class representative of the 2015 media class in Moi University – Main campus. Of course he is a public figure especially in the context of the media class. Almost everybody does it but once it is done by a talented leader like him, it quickly translates into being newsworthy.

I am not ready to narrate the whole story as it happened but the picture aside serves as a perfect illustration of it, and can speak a thousand words about the same. Besides, I want to preserve at least a small fraction of his privacy that he is also entitled to enjoy as a fellow normal human being, regardless of his ranking position in authority.

Critics may obviously follow after the publication of this article, especially from the characters of the scene – if I may be allowed to call them so; but if at all they wanted to consider this as part of their privacy, then what was the rationale behind doing it in the eyes of the public?

Kwani hawajui kwamba faragha ya nyani huishia kokoni? Ama lazima niwakumbushe ile methali inayosema,“funika kombe mwana haramu apite”? Basi siku hizi si mwana haramu, nawaambia;

“Funika kombe mwana wa Kombe apite!!!”

Samahani kama nimekukoseeni…

Fastest Newman Finally Overwhelmed

Newman was at first not well known to be a fast writer, especially in the presence of some dominant names that always reigned in lecture classes. The people who would complete sentences ahead of lecturers – the likes of Juma .W. Chrispinus of Western Kenya. His speed even alarmed the attention of Mr. Kurgat, who was once heard commenting during his usual marathon dictations, “You are journalists… you need to be fast… like my friend Juma…”

However, a dramatic change took place right from the time the class sit-in-CATs commenced. The silent Newman overtook the prestige and came out as the hero in terms of completing CATs in half-times. One of his shocked classmates was heard one day saying,  

“Siku hizi Newman ako juu! Ikiwa mimi bado naandika cover page, mtu amemaliza!” 

 His speed even attracted some of our celebrities – Irene, who tried to experiment one day during the INS 214 CAT on Friday, 22^nd June. She decided to sit with the hero; hopefully got some guidance and pieces of advice and indeed, it worked! She finished second, a few seconds after him!

Kashara - standing &Newman - below him

Today, the 26^th of June, 2012 will be remembered for what has happened. Eric Kashara, the politician, finally succeeded in succeeding Newman! A few minutes after half time – the CAT was scheduled to last for one hour – I heard some footsteps and what came into my mind was, “Mtu tayari amemaliza!” But I was too busy to see who had done it this time. After all, little did I know that it would be someone else. Just to confirm, I raised up my head and lol! A short black man was signing the attendance list for having submitted his answer sheet! I nearly said nothing before being certain that Newman would still feature as at least the second. Much of my surprise grew when Kashara was seconded by the great Jalang’o, who was then followed by his close associate – Gilbert!

Seeing that this was too much for him and would in fact ruin his career, Newman decided – No, let me go, and featured position four before honourable Agak closed the list of top five.

I am yet to find out which position Irene occupied but at least I know that I quitted the exam room much earlier than her! – What happened?

The lecturer, Ms. Simam was almost bored thereafter when our dear class representative refused to complete after an hour. You could tell this by the way she was staring at him after almost everybody had already left. He seemed to be the busiest man, just continued writing – Kwani ile hand-out aliyopewa akaficha haikumsaidia? Sam Soi had sacrificed to give Brian company in the room but seeing that he was taking abnormal time, Soi decided to quit too, and Brian finished five minutes afterwards - as the last man.