Michael Mundia Kamau P

Michael Mundia Kamau P.O. Box 58972 00200 City Square Nairobi Kenya 20th September 2003 The Chief Executive Baraza Limited P.O. Box 56985 Nairobi Kenya NEWS SHOT This letter is written in appreciation of "News Shot", the Kenya Television Network's (KTN) premiere review of the week's main political events aired on the Friday evening news at 9.00 p.m. It is a timely and innovative move on KTN's part, coming at a time when leadership in this country is taking a back seat at the expense of politics. Emmanuel Juma and the News Shot crew are setting new and very high standards in political journalism in this country when it is needed most. It is amazing how the News Shot crew is able to piece together the week's main political events, draw parallels, draw from precedents and spice up the brief segment with satire, cynicism and rib cracking humour and sarcasm. It is interesting how something so involving can be made to look so easy. Politics made easy is what KTN has branched into, to the benefit, pleasure and delight of the public. KTN is breaking down and simplifying politics in Kenya, making it possible to understand and decipher matters of National importance much more easily. Numerous issues have been covered in News Shot to date, all of which have succeeded in exposing Kenyan politics as two faced and self-centred. The segment on the Hon. Koigi wa Wamwere and his association with the banned Mungiki sect on Friday, 19th September 2003, for instance, is a classic depiction of the total disregard and contempt that Kenyan politicians have for morals, and good governance in general. Legend has it that former Uganda president Milton Obote trashed the Ugandan constitution before his troops stormed the Kabaka's palace, terming Uganda's constitution "a mere piece of paper". Milton Obote with that action, it is said, threw Uganda as a whole into the waste paper basket. The reckless actions that Kenyan politicians are engaging in, are a prelude to Kenya being thrown into the waste paper basket as well, and KTN must be commended for sparing no effort to expose this. The "hard tackling" referred to by the Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri is of no value to the people of this country. KTN has made it possible for Friday evening to be looked forward to. Since it's inception and for 14 years now, KTN has boldly led the way in innovative media reporting in this country. This tradition must be maintained. KTN has never shyed away from controversy and it is from this that it's following has been built. We had become accustomed to drab pro-establishment broadcasts, but KTN changed this with hard hitting journalism. KTN established a tradition of being firm, hard, fair, within the rules, and above the belt. This put it on the collison course with the establishment and at times it appeared that the broadcasting house would be shut down. KTN's commitment to professionalism and detail have made it a cradle of sorts in career advancement. Some of those who have worked at the station include Joseph Warungu, Editor of the BBC's flagship programmes Focus on Africa and Network Africa, Zain Verjee, an anchor for CNN International (CNNI) based at the network's global headquarters in Atlanta, Jeff Koinange, CNN's bureau chief in Lagos, where he is responsible for co-ordinating all news output from West Africa and also for covering events from throughout the rest of the African continent, and Isaiah Kabira, Director of the Presidential Press Service (PPS), in Kenya. KTN is good for this country and is playing a vital role in the crucial transition that we are undergoing. This transition involves those of us at home and the vast numbers of Kenyans abroad, which is why it is necessary for KTN to now have a fully fledged website on the internet. This will enable Kenyans abroad to share in the value of News Shot, and KTN as a whole. Keep up the good work. Emmanuel Juma for Prime Minister, Executive Prime Minister ! Michael Mundia Kamau