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I Hope It Was Worth It

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So, 1500 people died and some 600,000 people were displaced in violence after rigged elections that denied Raila Odinga his chance to become (what his campaign promised would be) the People’s President. He never really specified exactly what the People’s President would do. But the feeling was that he would ensure the dark days of corruption and patronage were firmly in the past. He would govern as an inclusive leader, addressing the real problems of poverty and inequality that have bedevilled Kenya’s development. But now that he has instead landed the post of prime minister we are starting to get a feel for his agenda. One of the first acts of the People’s Prime Minister has been to sort out his transport, according to today’s Standard…
The main perks that will go with the Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga’s office continue to fall in place, awaiting his swearing in expected this week. The process of ordering a sleek, custom-made, Mercedes Benz car for the prime minister is understood to have started and is at the assembly and delivery stage.
The only thing more depressing than Raila's choice of a Mercedes Benz - the badge of corrupt officialdom across Africa - is the Kenyan media’s lack of concern. The Standard is happy to parrot the government line that officials were sent to Germany to pick a “car, model and colour befitting the prime minister’s stature”. Until Kenyans decide they have had enough of vain, self-serving politicians, then that is what they will continue to get.

3 Comments

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nuttycow | March 24, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply

ARGGG. Sometimes the whole thing makes me so angry :(



Hope you had a good Easter Rob.

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William Deed | March 25, 2008 4:49 AM | Reply

Am not surprised.



I've dealt with journalists from four different countries these last two weeks: The Japanese journalists were very polite and paid a rather large sum for an interview. The British and American journalists paid for dinner and drinks (many).



The Kenyan journalist didn't want to cover our story and in fact wanted to do a feature on the lodge next-door. He called every day for a week until I eventually went to the lodge to take photos which I emailed to him in Nairobi. From where, the journalist made up a story about his stay at the lodge, and then once published he sms'd me every day for the next week, asking me to mpesa him a 1000 bob as payment.



Does anyone know if a Standard journalist gets a salary?

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Anonymous | March 25, 2008 7:25 AM | Reply

I had a very good Easter thank you Nutty. Turns out Chilean Merlot and dark chocolate go very well together

What do you think?