Journalists must not always read relaunching projects as mischief

A reader, Shaban Kimenderi, says: “This is so petty! What does it matter who started a project? The media is always pointing out the myriad projects left unfinished all around the country after millions were spent to launch them... Now you make it sound like it is a lack of vision or ideas for the President to salvage those projects instead of letting them die and he starting his own ‘new’ projects. A good idea is a good idea no matter who originates it. Let’s confine criticism to the realm of maturity not just to criticism's sake.”

Mr Kimenderi is commenting on the story published last Friday headlined “Revealed: Ruto re-launched Uhuru-era projects in Kisii” (Nation.Africa, August 16). The story by Ruth Mbula stated that President William Ruto “re-launched Uhuru-era projects in Kisii that were started long before he took office and were at various stages of completion”.

There have been other stories published in the Nation about President Ruto relaunching projects in the Mount Kenya region, which were started by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. They, too, are cynical about President Ruto’s motives.

Let’s get the facts right. Relaunching a project is both valid and legitimate. The term refers to the formal initiation of a project again, often after it has been stalled. Relaunching signifies a reaffirmation of commitment, securing additional resources, or restarting construction and implementation that may have been halted.

Relaunches occur frequently, as demonstrated by these sample headlines from the Nation: “School feeding scheme to be re-launched”, “Pomp at Nation TV relaunch”, “Unilever re-launches Lifebuoy soap”, “Crackdown on illicit drinks re-launched”, and “N-soko relaunches car sales web page”.

Subjective stance

Reporting on relaunches serves to inform the public about new developments and to provide timely, relevant, information about projects. And integrity in journalism demands objective reporting, without subjective interpretation.

Ruth Mbula’s report appears to take a subjective stance that begrudges President Ruto for relaunching these projects in Kisii. It adopts a critical tone, emphasising that many of the initiatives were initiated by his predecessor.

The opening paragraphs reveal this sentiment clearly: “Most of the projects President William Ruto commissioned during his three-day tour of Kisii County were initiated by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta. An analysis by the Nation shows that the projects the President commissioned were started long before he took office.”

However, President Ruto’s relaunch addresses significant political developments in infrastructure and healthcare, emphasising government actions and accountability. It provides necessary historical context and insights into political continuity and governance challenges.

Yet, the Nation story carries a critical undertone. It suggests that President Ruto is taking credit for initiatives that were not originally his, focusing on his predecessor's contributions rather than framing the commissioning as a beneficial development for the community.

The report implies skepticism about President Ruto’s motives, suggesting he is leveraging past efforts for political gain rather than contributing to genuine advancements.

Constructive criticism

There are two scenarios in which journalists may voice criticisms of relaunches. Firstly, when a source provides a legitimate critique. For instance, in 2016, Trans Nzoia Senator Henry Ole Ndiema accused Governor Patrick Khaemba of wasting public funds by relaunching development projects for political gain. This criticism was valid and warranted coverage (See “Trans Nzoia senator claims governor using public funds to gain political mileage” by Philip Bwayo, Nation.Africa, April 5, 2016).

In such cases, however, journalists must allow the accused an opportunity to respond. In this case, Deputy Governor Stanley Tarus countered Mr Ndiema’s claims, asserting that the senator was seeking political mileage himself.

The second scenario arises when the journalist uses facts to show that there is no new development in a relaunch. Ruth Mbula’s story does not fulfil this requirement.

For the sake of informed discourse and constructive criticism, let’s as journalists recognise the value in relaunching projects—regardless of their origins—and prioritise objective reporting over subjective narratives.

Postscript: This article was written before a rebuttal from State House was published, defending the President Ruto’s relaunches. State House said the relaunches were in line with the President’s pledge to complete stalled projects (See “State House: Why President Ruto is relaunching projects” by Ndubi Moturi. Nation.Africa, August 17).

The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected]. Call or text 0721989264