Let media declare political stand

There is no doubt that Royal Media Services owner S. K. Macharia is a brave and daring trailblazer. In media, as well as in other business ventures, Mr Macharia has not been afraid to buck the trend, to challenge the political leadership of the day or even to defy the community herd mentality.

The media mogul was at it again a week ago, when he hosted ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga in Murang’a County. Although it was ostensibly a thanksgiving service by local artistes celebrating tax reductions on revenues from Skiza Tunes music download and ringtone platform, it was a patently political event.

Indeed, media reports billed the gathering as a political endorsement of Mr Odinga by the central Kenya political and business elite, which was well represented at Mr Macharia’s home in Gatanga Constituency.

Just the mere fact of taking Mr Odinga to a region where he is viewed with unbridled hostility is very brave on the part of Mr Macharia. Even President Uhuru Kenyatta has shied away from escorting his fierce foe-turned-‘Handshake’ partner on tours of his political backyard.

Presidential campaign

The President has had to accept the fact that his presidential campaign was spectacularly successful in demonising Mr Odinga through the family-owned Kameme FM radio in terms that bordered on hate speech and ethnic profiling. The President is not capable of undoing the damage and has had to look on helplessly as his political base deserts him for his rebellious deputy, Dr William Ruto.

Mr Macharia has himself faced past opprobrium in central Kenya for seeming to back Mr Odinga, as have many others from the community who refused to blindly follow the Uhuru Kenyatta ‘muthamaki (savior)’ narrative.

He was subjected to threats and intimidation and in an extraordinary event toward 2017 elections, hired Kikuyu community leaders performed rites outside the gate of his Gatanga residence to curse and excommunicate him. He is back supporting Mr Odinga. How effective that will be in hostile terrain remains to be seen.

With just over a year to the 2022 General Election, political coalitions and groupings are evolving. The Deputy President is not foolish enough to believe the mercantile hangers-on from the region forever assuring him that the Mt Kenya vote is a done deal. The leaderless, rudderless region presents, at best, a large floating vote that can switch dramatically once another viable presidential aspirant enters the fray.

A strong candidate from the region could upset all equations; therefore, fellows such as National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and political fixer Jimi Wanjigi deserve close attention, as would any other hopeful with capacity to gain traction.

From outside the region, a candidate such as ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi also has reasonable expectations of a significant slice of the Mt Kenya vote, especially if he can package himself as the heir to retired President Mwai Kibaki’s legacy of economic revival and gentleman politics.

A year is a long time in politics and there will be many twists and turns in the countdown. Of immediate interest here is what SK’s (to use the popular moniker) support for Mr Odinga means for his RMS Group in particular and Kenyan media in general.

The big question is whether he puts at Mr Odinga’s disposal an unrivalled broadcast media behemoth with not just the top-ranking national television and radio stations but also an enviable network of vernacular radios with reach and influence across all major population groups.

Political preferences

When in the past queried by media colleagues about the political preferences of the proprietor, RMS editors have always explained that they work independently and without interference, maintaining editorial independence. The truth, however, is that in the public eye Royal Media Services is SK and SK is Royal Media Services.

In regions hostile to Mr Odinga, RMS reporters have had to tread delicately, sometimes even facing threats and intimidation.

Media houses in general are, therefore, ultra-cautious when it comes to declaring political preferences that present the risk of profiling, threats and losing market share in entire regions. And that is where Mr Macharia is bucking the trend.

His support for Mr Odinga cannot, by any stretch of imagination, be seen as loyalty to an ethnic cause. He should, therefore, take the next step and formally have RMS officially endorse Mr Odinga while demonstrating that it is not about personal friendship or business ties but shared ideology, principles and policies.

That would open the door for Nation, Standard, Radio Africa and other media houses to step up from the usual reticence and openly endorse political positions while remaining professional, balanced and conscientious in coverage.

[email protected] @MachariaGaitho