What An African Woman Thinks
Just so that on the rare occasion when I happen to run into it, I can, you know, salute it or something.
I’m out and about once again, singing for my supper and looking for a patch where my goat can graze. So I’m reading all about Cyril Ramaphosa’s potential entry into the Kenyan mediation equation from a frustrating distance. And I’m asking myself what seem to be pretty obvious questions.
Like:
Does the PNU mediation team have any proof that Cyril Ramaphosa and Raila Odinga did any business together?
If it does, what business? When?
If it doesn't, what could PNU be up to?
Why are they intent on blocking the participation of a person of his impressive qualifications?
Basic questions such as these which you'd think any newspaper intent on covering the ongoings in Kenya would assign a journalist to find reasonable answers to.
But, all that the media, both local and international, can come up with is that PNU allege it and Cyril and Raila deny it.
Well, alright then, moving right along. Not.
Opinion journalism seems to be all the rave:
i) pick a few random facts from a bowl of information;
ii) sprinkle them generously with personal opinion;
iii) add 3 ounces of preconceived notion;
iv) bake until it appears cooked (never mind that it is not cooked, it is the appearance that matters)
v) serve hurriedly and move on to the next thing.
Next we'll be wondering what we need newspapers for when we have blogs that run the gamut from well-researched reporting to delicately balanced opinion to unapologetically slanted propaganda.
So, why do we, anyway?