Opinion journalism and evidence

I read two pieces in which you raised concerns about the unsubstantiated attacks on Deputy President William Ruto by Prof Makau Mutua in his weekly column in the Sunday Nation. 

The first was in response to readers who considered Prof Mutua’s attacks as unwarranted. The second was a response to those who have no problem with the columnist’s personalised attacks on the DP. In both, you argued that credibility and integrity of opinion writing is rooted in facts or evidence supporting the opinion.

I have been a keen reader of editorial or opinion pages of the Daily Nation and other publications right from secondary school. I was particularly attracted to the opinion writings of professors William Ochieng, Ali Mazrui and Anyang Nyong’o, and Mutahi Ngunyi (when he wrote for the Sunday Nation). I was also particularly attracted to the Kwendo Opanga’s “The Week That Was” in the Sunday Nation.

I did not know at the time the roots of my fascination with opinion journalism. It was only later, during my reading of books on rhetoric, that I discovered why I was hooked on this genre of journalism or writing. 

I learnt that opinion or argumentative writing, which largely defines editorial or opinion writing, must have a thesis, claim or assertion about an issue, problem or person.

Proof or evidence

The second important element I learnt was that the writer, or the proponent of the assertion, must provide proof or evidence that supports the thesis, claim or assertion. 

The third important element from my reading was that an opinion stands on the warrant, assumptions or values upon which the writer centers his thesis, claim or assertion.

The other is that the writer, or proponent of a position, must be decent enough to take into account the counter-thesis, or opposing assertion or claims, and demonstrate how it sits ill with his assertion or thesis. He must also have decent respect for his interlocutor.

All writers, regardless of the sophistication of their education, ideas or position in the society, must adhere to these principles of argumentation or opinion writing.

— Kennedy Buhere, Nairobi

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.