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CORD vs MEDIA
By Dorcas Z
This is a sad story. A story of a wicked man, his loving wife, and their trusting son. What is sadder is that this story is not just a product of a creative genius, but it is also true.
Sometime a few years ago there was born a son to a wicked man and his loving wife. The wife nurtured the son well. When the son was of age, and could play, the mother bought him protective gear. She insisted he must put on the protective gear whenever he was playing: be it in the forest, on the plains, or down the valley.
Often, the father joined the son in play. One day he asked the son they go to the forest to play together. In the forest, the son would climb on trees, jump, and the father would catch him before he hit the ground. The son grew very confident the father would always catch him. He graduated from small trees to the medium trees, and the father would always catch him before he hit the ground. It was getting more thrilling; more fun; more adventurous. The son developed absolute trust in the father’s love and capability to catch him before he’d hit the ground.
Imbued with this assurance, the son didn’t see the need to continue girding himself with the protective gear. He removed the gear as he climbed the highest tree that was just by a very rocky place. The father was waiting on the ground. He beckoned his father, sure that his father who was so reliable and loving thus far, would hold out his hands, and receive him into his arms before he could hit the rocky ground. The father smiled, benignly, and indicated to the son to jump.And he jumped.
But the father, smiling wryly this time, stepped aside and watched with sadistic fascination as the son crashed on the boulders breaking his skull. He laughed wickedly as he bemusedly watched the son cry inconsolably from the excruciating pain following the crash.
For a long time the Luo nation, ODM’s bulwark, trusted SK Macharia’s Royal Media. In fact, SK Macharia was a darling to ODM and, in particular, Raila Odinga. As Royal Media services grew, so did ODM. The various radio stations and television stations that fell under the ambit of Royal Media services blasted with ODM-friendly news and reports. It was a great time for the Odingas. They grew comfortable and did not see the need to invest in a media house, because they thought SK Macharia would always ‘hold them’.
Just when ODM needed him most, SK Macharia became a turncoat. An estranged lover, he now regrets why he supported CORD in the past. Most unfortunately, his media house is not the only one that has deserted Odinga and his CORD. Every now and then Daily Nation, NTV, K24, QTV, The Star, inter alia, churn out imbalanced news pieces calculated to disparage the opposition, hide the failings of the UhuRuto regime, and exaggerate UhuRuto achievements. CORD and its adherents are either given a blackout, or are on the receiving end of unfair analyses and inaccurate reports.
Just when we needed him most, SK Macharia joined the bandwagon of our foes. When we had climbed the highest tree, and were too trustful that we removed all protective gear, and were by a rocky plain, and ‘our father’ shot that benign, well-meaning smile, he stepped aside and let us crash onto the rocks. CORD needed Royal Media especially now that Raila has just one bullet.
But there are valuable lessons we can glean from this experience. It is time we put on our protective gear. It is time the CORD faction thought of a media station blasting with opposition-friendly news, analyses and reports. It is time we conquered new lands, found alternative partners (in the media, and all other relevant sectors), and crafted a long-term strategy that will sustain our agenda even long after Raila Odinga leaves the arena of active politics.
One of our greatest undoing is myopia. We are bombarded with issues at every turn and, in most times, we are bereft of a formula to circumvent the hurdles that thwart our way. We are praise-hungry, and we don’t hesitate to launch attacks against those who critique us, even if it is a constructive critique. It is time we went back to the basics: the safety rules our mother taught us!
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