Let media not veer off course on speaking truth to powers that be
Many countries in Africa and elsewhere in the world are witnessing a resurgence of authoritarianism and manifestations of fascism. But where strong and vibrant media exists, they speak truth to power.
Happy New Year Kenya! As the country welcomes 2025, I start the year by commending members of the Fourth Estate for their unwavering commitment to the people of Kenya in bringing to their attention events as they happened.
I have only one particular message to you scribes: stay on course and be more aggressive in speaking the truth to power.
The Kenyan media must stay focused on its vital role at this time as democracy faces its biggest test ever since the country’s return to political pluralism slightly over three decades ago.
From electoral autocracy to mysterious and unexplained disappearances; from a pliant legislature to fit-for-purpose judiciary; and in the face of the wielders of power treating court orders as rumours, we seem to be speeding back to the dark bygone era at unprecedented velocity.
It is at such a time that the media must ensure good governance of the country, by promoting transparency and accountability, and the rule of law.
This is the time our media must live up to its watchdog role that Kenyans can rely on in exposing the wrongdoings by those in power. This watchdog role is essential in a democratic society like we strive to build, where the people must know what their government is doing and government must do what the people want. In other words, when all voices have been muted, the pen must speak.
I am gratified that the media has continued to keenly observe the activities of those in authority, and fearlessly expose those that undermine our democracy and rule of law; and equally those that are against the principle of transparency and accountability.
The Kenyan media must aggressively speak for the people and represent their interests in serving as check on the government while educating us the people on responsible citizenship. It must hold leaders accountable.
This accountability and good governance entails, among others, the upholding of principles of transparency, accountability and popular participation.
Strong and independent media ensures improved governance and increased civic participation in a country’s administration. But where the media is weak or compromised, corruption, opaque elections, sectarianism, and impunity reign.
Many countries in Africa and elsewhere in the world are witnessing a resurgence of authoritarianism and manifestations of fascism. But where strong and vibrant media exists, they speak truth to power.
As I pen off, I wish our media fraternity a fruitful year 2025 knowing that the terrain you will be navigating is fraught with pitfalls and diabolical temptations; and the citizen is sufficiently empowered.
Thus, the adage that the price of democracy is eternal vigilance applies here.
The media must, for example, in promoting transparency and accountability, probe and expose rampant corruption and financial irregularities pervading government departments, parastatals, county governments and other arms of our governance.
They must expose among others the rot and opacity in our public procurement system, the rent seeking practices of our leaders, money laundering webs, and innovative tax evasion practices.
As they do this, they should not forget to educate the people the implications and consequences of these vices especially the dangers they pose on their lives. The media must keep the flame of the country’s democracy and good governance burning this new year. It is only by so doing that the people will renew their faith in the vital work our journalists do every day.
Another area they should not relent on is rule of law. We cannot gainsay the fact that the rampant cases of abductions being witnessed in the country as a blot in the conscience of right-thinking members of our society. As much as the phenomena has impacted negatively on Kenya’s reputation globally, it has grossly undermined civic rights of the victims.
Mr Oduor Ong’wen is the Executive Director of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)
