1. Both Presidents were born in 1961
2. Both First Ladies were born in 1964
3. Both President Uhuru and Obama are left handed
4. Both don’t have Christian names.
5. Both are said to be smokers
6. Both men’s fathers had four wives each.
7. Both Uhuru and Obama have relatives in almost every continent.
8. 2 Pointies *Coloreds* (Obama & Maggie) 2 black Uhuru & Michelle)
9. Both men have the same height
10. Obama is the 44th president of US while Uhuru is the 4th President of Kenya
11. Both First Ladies’ names begin with an ”M”.
President Obama is on his way to Kenya, the home of his father. It’s my home too. My family has lived in Kenya for more than one hundred years. Kenyans care enormously, at this moment especially, about how we are perceived and how rooted in reality it is. We will not hesitate to comment with our thumbs. “Shenzi” has been the general vibe. Swahili for “idiots.”
As a former CNN anchor and correspondent and a Kenyan I want to say the following:
Words like “Hotbed” are catchy words that catch the viewer’s eye and drive up ratings. It’s the American TV business. Not just about Kenya.
Africa is still perceived by the majority of US writers and producers as a dangerous place, that it’s all pretty much the same. The images of violence and attacks don’t help the standard narrative. We (Africans) need to change this perception so words like “hotbed” are not the immediate Kenyan association in newsrooms.
CNN USA is a very different beast to CNN international. It’s like two separate worlds really. CNN USA is driven by much more by short-term gain, higher drama with a daily pressure of ratings and the need to win the minute. CNN international is more nuanced, not driven by the business of daily ratings. There is there’s a much more sophisticated internal approach to Africa programming and reporting.
To Western media covering Kenya: Please. Kenya is not a hotbed of terror. We are not Iraq. Afghanistan or Libya. We have some major security problems. Very serious. Yes. I am not sidestepping that. I have covered many attacks myself. The security issue should be covered, criticized, and the security apparatus’ effectiveness questioned. Terrorism has been awful for Kenya, and for our tourist industry.
But during the Obama trip, also leave a few minutes or 30 seconds before a break or a kicker to show some cool Kenyans doing cool stuff, spotlight the innovation, the humour, the technology, the style, creativity and the vibrant political debate. Lots of awesome stuff is going on. It’s not a whitewash. It’s the real other side of the story that does not get told in a 90 second piece or three minute live interview.
President Obama is on his way to Kenya, the home of his father. It’s my home too. My family has lived in Kenya for more than one hundred years. Kenyans care enormously, at this moment especially, about how we are perceived and how rooted in reality it is. We will not hesitate to comment with our thumbs. “Shenzi” has been the general vibe. Swahili for “idiots.”
As a former CNN anchor and correspondent and a Kenyan I want to say the following:
Words like “Hotbed” are catchy words that catch the viewer’s eye and drive up ratings. It’s the American TV business. Not just about Kenya.
Africa is still perceived by the majority of US writers and producers as a dangerous place, that it’s all pretty much the same. The images of violence and attacks don’t help the standard narrative. We (Africans) need to change this perception so words like “hotbed” are not the immediate Kenyan association in newsrooms.
CNN USA is a very different beast to CNN international. It’s like two separate worlds really. CNN USA is driven by much more by short-term gain, higher drama with a daily pressure of ratings and the need to win the minute. CNN international is more nuanced, not driven by the business of daily ratings. There is there’s a much more sophisticated internal approach to Africa programming and reporting.
To Western media covering Kenya: Please. Kenya is not a hotbed of terror. We are not Iraq. Afghanistan or Libya. We have some major security problems. Very serious. Yes. I am not sidestepping that. I have covered many attacks myself. The security issue should be covered, criticized, and the security apparatus’ effectiveness questioned. Terrorism has been awful for Kenya, and for our tourist industry.
But during the Obama trip, also leave a few minutes or 30 seconds before a break or a kicker to show some cool Kenyans doing cool stuff, spotlight the innovation, the humour, the technology, the style, creativity and the vibrant political debate. Lots of awesome stuff is going on. It’s not a whitewash. It’s the real other side of the story that does not get told in a 90 second piece or three minute live interview.
By Joe Mithamo
