Man kills over ugali: Tales we like to report and readers love to read

More than 52 per cent of “man kills over ugali” stories come from Kakamega County. Narok follows with 13 per cent. Vihiga, Kisii, Bomet, Siaya, Kajiado and Machakos trail far behind Kakamega.

This ranking is based on the distribution of 46 “man kills over ugali” stories culled from the Nation and other newspapers. The ranking raises the question of why there is a prevalence of such stories in Kakamega. Does it reflect the reality on the ground? Or is it just how journalists select what to report and how to report it?

The methods journalists use to gather such news often conform to the old journalistic saying, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Journalists are likely to prioritise news of violence, conflict or death over, say, tree planting.

That tallies well with the audience’s love for news that is primarily entertainment. It also tallies well with the economics of publishing. News that “bleeds” is likely to get higher ratings on TV, for example, and attract more readers, and, therefore, more advertising revenue. 

Audiences are emotionally attracted to the “man kills over ugali” headlines because we’re talking about food and family members. A headline such as “Kakamega man kills his 80-year-old father over ugali” or “Kakamega man kills brother over a plate of omena” is of emotional significance to many a reader. 

But readers are also perplexed that such stories emanate mainly from Kakamega. Is reporting the problem, rather than the people of Kakamega? 

David Ngugi says: “It’s not Kakamega but a reporter obsessed with the kind of news coming from Kakamega. Just like we had, sometimes back, one reporter in Naivasha who was obsessed with reporting rape cases.” 

James Libulele says: “These ugali stories are fake. There is always something deeper, underlying these rampant deaths. Using the ugali narrative every time a family dispute results in death is unprofessional.”

Most of the Kakamega “man kills over ugali” stories published by the Nation are reported by one correspondent, Benson Amadala. But, let’s give him credit; he reports in equal measure other stories.

However, there is merit in saying that generally there is more to “man kills over ugali” stories than is reported. The stories as reported are akin to the police Occurrence Book (OB) narratives. Police use the OB to record incidents reported at police stations by complainants. 

The reports are, naturally, one-sided. Only the complainant’s side of the story is given in the OB. Journalistically speaking, OB stories are only good enough for follow-up or initiating investigations for a more complete story.

In most cases, it’s questionable whether the “man kills over ugali” stories are adequately investigated or sourced. In many instances, it appears, nobody can authoritatively claim a person was killed because of ugali. 

Often, the reports are accompanied by qualifying comments, such as this: “The incident came as a shocker to the neighbours, who indicated that the siblings, who are orphans living at their parents’ home, have had no major differences (See ‘Alego man kills brother over ugali’ by Kassim Adinasi—Daily Nation, April 14, 2023).”

Ate the gizzard

The conclusion that such stories are not proof that a person was killed because of ugali is inescapable. Writing on the same subject, The Observer, a Media Council of Kenya weekly publication, concludes: “No one (sic) kills his wife over ugali or because she refused to wash his shirt. Or she ate the gizzard, traditionally reserved for the man [in some communities]” (See “No one kills over ugali or Sh10; search for the reasons”—The Observer, September 21, 2020).

In the courtroom, Justice Jessie Lessit takes a similar view, in Republic v Bancy Mukami Nyambura [2016] eKLR.

In this case, a man and his wife return home after a drinking spree. Both are drunk. They start quarrelling and a fight ensues. The wife stabs the husband with a kitchen knife twice in the chest, killing him. Their housemaid tells Justice Lessit they quarrelled over food after the husband asked to be served but the wife declined. Justice Lessit refuses to accept the explanation. 

“The quarrel over food cannot form a basis for an attack of the nature that took place in this case,” she concludes.

So, it’s arguable that “man kills over ugali” stories should be investigated more deeply. A fracas over food may be a trigger but not the reason for the bestial killings.

The article that fell through the cracks

The ‘Contents’ section on page two of last Friday’s Nation included this item: “Mwaura: Media self-regulation and why Prof Kisiang’ani is hopping mad/P19.” 

But on page 19, there was no such article. Did it fall through the cracks?

— Kennedy Wafula, Kimilili, Bungoma

* * *

Public Editor, I hope you are well. Confirm you were absent without leave [last Friday].

— Benjamin, 0722877XXX

* * *

The Public Editor’s column in last Friday’s Daily Nation was, surprisingly, missing from the usual space that it has occupied every week for the past couple of years. 

Incidentally, the readers were treated to what to expect in the said article and the headline was even published in the newspaper. It was about media self-regulation and why “Prof Edward Kisiang’ani is hopping mad”. 

Now, the big question is, who is sabotaging the Public Editor’s work? Who wants the Public Editor out? Who wants to stifle information in this era of superior technology?

— Ngure Kamau

* * *

We noted that the Public Editor’s column was missing in the Nation last Friday. But you assured us his column “will resume this week”. The column is one of the easily readable ones. 

To explain the column’s absence can be narrowed down to, first, the Public Editor having suffered a writer’s block—for the first time in 10 years or so—or some kind of lurgy in this cold spell or any other ailment that saw him not write or, lastly, his article getting left out at the printing stage due to a technical problem.

On the question of political advertising, a Jubilee Party advertisement appeared on page 4 of the Saturday Nation of April 29 saying a Special National Delegates Conference would be held on May 22, 2023. It was signed by Uhuru Kenyatta, the “Party Leader”. Another Jubilee advertisement appeared on page 25 of the Daily Nation of May 9. It said the National Executive Committee of Jubilee “suspended” the notice by Mr Kenyatta. Both ads were on Jubilee letterhead. 

Wasn’t the Nation under an obligation to check with the Registrar of Political Parties who is who in the party to avoid confusing and misinforming readers? The Public Editor tells us the Editor is responsible for everything published in the paper. Where was the Editor?

— Githuku Mungai
 

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.